CVE-2025-1971: Webtoffee WordPress Users Plugin RCE Flaw

CVE-2025-1971 Overview

CVE-2025-1971 is a PHP Object Injection vulnerability in the Webtoffee Export and Import Users and Customers plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.6.2. It stems from unsafe deserialization of untrusted input passed through the form_data parameter [CWE-502].

Authenticated attackers with Administrator-level privileges or higher can inject arbitrary PHP objects. The plugin itself does not ship a Property-Oriented Programming (POP) chain, so direct exploitation is not possible in a default installation. However, if any other installed plugin or theme provides a usable POP gadget chain, attackers can chain it to delete arbitrary files, exfiltrate sensitive data, or achieve remote code execution.

Critical Impact
Administrator-level attackers can inject PHP objects that, when combined with a POP chain from another component, enable arbitrary file deletion, sensitive data disclosure, or remote code execution on the WordPress host.

Affected Products

Webtoffee Export and Import Users and Customers plugin for WordPress
All versions through 2.6.2
WordPress sites with additional plugins or themes that contain exploitable POP chains

Discovery Timeline

2025-03-22 - CVE-2025-1971 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2025-07-09 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-1971

Vulnerability Analysis

The plugin handles user and customer import and export workflows through AJAX endpoints implemented in class-import-ajax.php and class-export-ajax.php. These endpoints accept a form_data parameter that the plugin passes through PHP's unserialize() function without validating its structure or origin.

When PHP deserializes attacker-controlled input, it instantiates arbitrary classes available in the runtime. PHP then invokes magic methods such as __wakeup(), __destruct(), and __toString() on those objects. An attacker who can supply a serialized payload referencing classes with dangerous magic-method behavior can pivot deserialization into file operations, database queries, or command execution.

The Webtoffee plugin does not bundle a usable gadget chain. The impact therefore depends on the wider site composition. WordPress installations typically host many plugins and themes, increasing the probability that a usable chain exists in the runtime class graph.

Root Cause

The root cause is direct deserialization of untrusted input in the AJAX handlers responsible for the import and export workflows. The form_data value originates from a client-supplied request and reaches unserialize() without type checks, signature verification, or use of safer alternatives such as json_decode().

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires authenticated access at Administrator level or higher. The attacker submits a crafted AJAX request to the vulnerable plugin endpoint, supplying a serialized PHP object in form_data. When the server deserializes the payload, the injected object triggers magic methods on classes loaded elsewhere in the WordPress runtime. Successful exploitation depends on the presence of a POP chain in another installed plugin or theme.

For implementation details, review the WordPress Import Module Code and the WordPress Export Module Code.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-1971

Indicators of Compromise

AJAX POST requests to the plugin's import or export endpoints containing a form_data parameter whose value begins with serialized PHP markers such as O:, a:, or s:.
Unexpected file creation, modification, or deletion in the WordPress document root following administrator activity.
New or modified PHP files in wp-content/uploads/ or theme directories shortly after plugin AJAX requests.
Outbound network connections originating from the PHP worker process to unfamiliar hosts.

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server logs for POST requests to admin-ajax.php that reference the plugin's import or export actions and include serialized payload patterns in body parameters.
Alert on PHP processes spawning shell interpreters, package managers, or network utilities.
Monitor administrator account activity for behavior anomalies, including imports executed outside normal change windows.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable WordPress audit logging for plugin actions, administrator logins, and import or export operations.
Forward web server and PHP error logs to a centralized analytics pipeline for correlation with endpoint telemetry.
Track integrity of the WordPress core, plugin, and theme directories with file-integrity monitoring.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-1971

Immediate Actions Required

Update the Webtoffee Export and Import Users and Customers plugin to a version newer than 2.6.2 that includes the fix referenced in the vendor changeset.
Audit installed plugins and themes for known POP gadget chains and remove unused components.
Rotate credentials for any administrator account that may have been used to exercise the vulnerable endpoint.
Review administrator role assignments and remove unnecessary privileged accounts.

Patch Information

The vendor addressed the deserialization flaw in the plugin source tree. Apply the update referenced in WordPress Changeset 3259688. Additional context is available in the Wordfence CVE Vulnerability Report and on the WordPress Plugin Developer Info page.

Workarounds

Deactivate the plugin until the patched version is deployed if immediate updating is not possible.
Restrict access to wp-admin and admin-ajax.php using IP allowlisting or a web application firewall rule.
Enforce multi-factor authentication on all administrator accounts to reduce the risk of credential abuse.
Apply a WAF signature that blocks serialized PHP object patterns (O: and a: prefixes) in the form_data parameter for plugin endpoints.

bash

# Example WAF rule (ModSecurity) blocking serialized PHP objects in form_data
SecRule ARGS:form_data "@rx ^(O|a):[0-9]+:" \
    "id:1009711,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,\
    msg:'Potential PHP Object Injection (CVE-2025-1971) in form_data'"