CVE-2025-31036 Overview
CVE-2025-31036 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the WPSOLR wpsolr-free WordPress plugin. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 24.0 and enables privilege escalation when an authenticated administrator is tricked into visiting a malicious page. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery and was published to the National Vulnerability Database on April 9, 2025.
Critical Impact
A successful attack lets a remote unauthenticated attacker forge state-changing requests that escalate privileges within WordPress, leading to full site compromise.
Affected Products
- WPSOLR wpsolr-free plugin for WordPress
- All versions from n/a through 24.0
- WordPress sites running the vulnerable plugin with privileged users
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-09 - CVE-2025-31036 published to NVD
- 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-31036
Vulnerability Analysis
The WPSolr plugin exposes administrative actions without verifying request authenticity. State-changing endpoints accept requests that lack a valid WordPress nonce or origin check. An attacker can craft a malicious HTML page that submits a forged request to a target site. When an authenticated administrator visits that page, the browser transmits valid session cookies alongside the forged request. The server processes the action as if the administrator initiated it, resulting in privilege escalation.
The vulnerability requires user interaction, since the targeted administrator must load attacker-controlled content. However, no prior authentication is required from the attacker, and the attack is delivered over the network.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing CSRF protection [CWE-352] on plugin actions that modify user roles or configuration. The plugin does not validate the _wpnonce token using check_admin_referer() or wp_verify_nonce() before executing privileged operations. Without this control, the WordPress action handlers cannot distinguish between legitimate administrator clicks and forged cross-origin requests.
Attack Vector
Attackers host a malicious page containing a hidden form or JavaScript that targets the vulnerable plugin endpoint on a victim WordPress site. Social engineering, phishing emails, or watering-hole pages lure a logged-in administrator to the page. When the request fires, the plugin executes the privilege-changing action under the administrator's session. The result is escalation of an attacker-controlled account or modification of plugin settings that pivot to remote code execution.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently published. Technical analysis is available in the Patchstack CSRF Vulnerability Report.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31036
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected WordPress user accounts with administrator or editor roles created without audit trail
- HTTP POST requests to WPSolr admin-ajax or admin-post endpoints with a Referer header pointing to an external domain
- Changes to WPSolr plugin configuration outside maintenance windows
- New plugin or theme installations following anomalous admin activity
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress audit logs for role changes and capability modifications correlated with administrator sessions
- Inspect web server access logs for cross-origin requests targeting /wp-admin/ paths associated with the WPSolr plugin
- Monitor for requests to plugin endpoints that lack a valid _wpnonce parameter
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress security plugins that log all administrative actions and authentication events
- Forward web server and WordPress logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation across user sessions and source IPs
- Alert on the creation of new privileged accounts and on modifications to user roles
- Track outbound referrers from administrator browsers to identify exposure to malicious pages
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31036
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress sites running the WPSolr wpsolr-free plugin at version 24.0 or earlier
- Update the plugin to the latest patched version released after 24.0 once available from the vendor
- Audit WordPress user accounts for unauthorized role changes or new administrator accounts
- Rotate credentials for any administrator accounts that may have been exposed
Patch Information
The vendor advisory referenced through Patchstack indicates the issue affects versions through 24.0. Administrators should upgrade to a release later than 24.0 that addresses the missing CSRF check. Refer to the Patchstack advisory for the fixed version reference.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the WPSolr plugin until a patched version is installed
- Restrict administrator access to dedicated browser profiles that do not browse untrusted content
- Deploy a web application firewall rule that blocks POST requests to WPSolr endpoints lacking a same-origin Referer header
- Enforce multi-factor authentication for all WordPress administrator accounts to limit downstream impact
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
