CVE-2025-31524: WP User Profiles Privilege Escalation

CVE-2025-31524 Overview

CVE-2025-31524 is an Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability [CWE-266] in the John James Jacoby WP User Profiles plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects the wp-users-profiles plugin in all versions up to and including 2.6.2. Authenticated attackers with low-level privileges can escalate their permissions to higher roles, including administrative access. The vulnerability was published to the National Vulnerability Database on April 10, 2025 through a Patchstack advisory.

Critical Impact
An authenticated user with minimal privileges can escalate to administrator, gaining full control of the WordPress site including content, users, and plugin configuration.

Affected Products

John James Jacoby WP User Profiles plugin (wp-users-profiles)
All versions from initial release through 2.6.2
WordPress installations with the vulnerable plugin activated

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-10 - CVE-2025-31524 published to NVD via Patchstack advisory
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-31524

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2025-31524 is a privilege escalation flaw classified under Incorrect Privilege Assignment [CWE-266]. The WP User Profiles plugin fails to enforce correct role and capability restrictions when processing user profile modifications. An authenticated user can manipulate profile-related requests to assign themselves capabilities or roles they should not possess.

The attack requires only low-level authentication and can be executed remotely over the network. No user interaction is needed once the attacker holds a valid low-privileged account. Successful exploitation yields full compromise of the WordPress site, affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the application.

Root Cause

The root cause is the plugin's failure to validate whether the requesting user has the authority to assign or modify roles and capabilities on target user accounts. Server-side authorization checks are either missing or incorrectly implemented on the profile update logic, allowing role assignment fields to be trusted from client input.

Attack Vector

The attacker authenticates to WordPress with any account permitted to access user profile endpoints exposed by the plugin. The attacker then submits a crafted profile update request that includes elevated role or capability parameters. Because the plugin does not verify the caller's privilege before applying the change, the target account, including the attacker's own, is upgraded to a higher-privileged role such as administrator.

No verified exploit code is publicly available. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for additional technical detail.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31524

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected role changes in the wp_usermeta table, particularly the wp_capabilities field, for accounts that were previously subscribers, contributors, or authors.
New administrator accounts created shortly after profile update requests from low-privileged sessions.
HTTP POST requests to WP User Profiles endpoints containing role or capability parameters from non-administrative sessions.
Installation of unfamiliar plugins or themes following suspicious authentication events.

Detection Strategies

Audit WordPress user roles and compare against a known-good baseline to identify unauthorized elevations.
Enable WordPress activity logging plugins to record role changes with the originating user and IP address.
Review web server access logs for requests to WP User Profiles administrative routes originating from accounts that should not have management access.

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on any change to the wp_capabilities meta key for existing accounts.
Monitor for the creation of new users with the administrator role outside of change windows.
Correlate authentication events with subsequent privilege changes to identify same-session escalation patterns.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31524

Immediate Actions Required

Update the WP User Profiles plugin to a version later than 2.6.2 once a patched release is available from the vendor.
Audit all WordPress user accounts and revoke unexpected administrative privileges.
Rotate credentials for all administrator accounts and enforce multi-factor authentication on privileged users.
Review installed plugins, themes, and scheduled tasks for artifacts introduced during any compromise window.

Patch Information

At the time of publication, the vulnerability affects all versions of WP User Profiles up to and including 2.6.2. Site administrators should monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory and the plugin's official channels for a fixed release, and apply the update immediately upon availability.

Workarounds

Deactivate and remove the WP User Profiles plugin until a patched version is released.
Restrict access to the WordPress /wp-admin/ interface using IP allowlisting or a web application firewall rule.
Limit the creation of new low-privileged accounts by disabling open user registration under Settings > General.
Apply the principle of least privilege by removing unnecessary capabilities from non-administrative roles.

bash

# Configuration example: disable open registration and restrict admin access
wp option update users_can_register 0

# Deactivate the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI until patched
wp plugin deactivate wp-user-profiles