CVE-2025-23504: Felan Framework Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-23504 Overview

CVE-2025-23504 is a critical Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel vulnerability in the RiceTheme Felan Framework WordPress plugin (felan-framework). This vulnerability allows attackers to abuse authentication mechanisms, potentially leading to account takeover. The flaw exists in versions up to and including 1.1.3 of the Felan Framework plugin.

Critical Impact

This authentication bypass vulnerability enables unauthenticated attackers to take over user accounts by exploiting alternate authentication paths, potentially compromising the entire WordPress site including administrator accounts.

Affected Products

• RiceTheme Felan Framework (felan-framework) versions <= 1.1.3
• WordPress sites using the affected Felan Framework plugin
• All user accounts on affected WordPress installations

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-08 - CVE-2025-23504 published to NVD
• 2026-01-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-23504

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-288 (Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel). The flaw allows attackers to circumvent the intended authentication mechanisms of the Felan Framework plugin by exploiting an alternate pathway that does not properly enforce authentication checks.

The vulnerability enables complete account takeover, meaning an attacker can gain unauthorized access to any user account on the affected WordPress installation, including administrator accounts. This could result in full site compromise, data theft, malicious content injection, and further attacks against site visitors.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper implementation of authentication controls within the Felan Framework plugin. The plugin exposes an alternate authentication path that fails to properly validate user credentials or session tokens before granting access to protected functionality. This alternate channel bypasses the standard WordPress authentication flow, allowing attackers to authenticate as arbitrary users without knowledge of their credentials.

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and requires no prior authentication, user interaction, or special privileges to exploit. An attacker can remotely target any WordPress site running the vulnerable Felan Framework plugin versions (<= 1.1.3). By sending specially crafted requests to the alternate authentication endpoint, the attacker can bypass normal authentication controls and gain access to user accounts.

The exploitation chain typically involves:

1. Identifying a WordPress site running the vulnerable Felan Framework plugin
2. Sending crafted requests to the vulnerable authentication pathway
3. Bypassing credential verification to authenticate as a target user
4. Gaining full access to the compromised user account

For detailed technical information about this vulnerability, refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-23504

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual authentication events or login attempts without corresponding credential submissions
• Unexpected user session creation or account access from unrecognized IP addresses
• Administrator account activities that do not correlate with legitimate administrator actions
• Suspicious HTTP requests targeting Felan Framework plugin endpoints

Detection Strategies

• Monitor WordPress authentication logs for anomalous login patterns or bypassed authentication events
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block requests targeting known vulnerable endpoints
• Review HTTP access logs for unusual request patterns to /wp-content/plugins/felan-framework/ paths
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying account takeover attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all WordPress authentication events
• Configure alerting for successful logins without corresponding credential authentication attempts
• Monitor for privilege escalation activities following suspicious authentication events
• Implement real-time monitoring of critical WordPress administrative actions

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-23504

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Felan Framework plugin to a patched version if available from the vendor
• If no patch is available, consider temporarily disabling or removing the Felan Framework plugin until a fix is released
• Review WordPress user accounts for signs of unauthorized access or account takeover
• Implement additional access controls such as IP whitelisting for administrative functions
• Force password resets for all user accounts, especially administrators

Patch Information

Affected versions include Felan Framework <= 1.1.3. Site administrators should check with RiceTheme for an updated version that addresses this vulnerability. Monitor the Patchstack vulnerability database for patch availability and additional guidance.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable the Felan Framework plugin if it is not critical to site operation
• Implement WAF rules to block suspicious requests targeting the plugin's authentication endpoints
• Enable WordPress two-factor authentication (2FA) for all user accounts as an additional layer of defense
• Restrict access to the WordPress admin panel by IP address where feasible

# Example: Disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate felan-framework

# Example: Add .htaccess rules to block direct access to plugin files
# Add to WordPress root .htaccess file
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^wp-content/plugins/felan-framework/(.*)$ - [F,L]
</IfModule>