CVE-2025-31775 Overview
CVE-2025-31775 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability [CWE-352] affecting the Smackcoders Google SEO Pressor Snippet plugin (google-seo-author-snippets) for WordPress. The flaw exists in all plugin versions up to and including 2.0. An attacker can craft a malicious web page or link that, when visited by an authenticated WordPress user, triggers unintended state-changing actions in the plugin without the user's consent. The vulnerability requires user interaction to succeed and results in limited integrity impact on the target application.
Critical Impact
Attackers can trick authenticated WordPress administrators into performing unintended plugin actions, potentially modifying SEO snippet configurations on the affected site.
Affected Products
- Smackcoders Google SEO Pressor Snippet plugin (google-seo-author-snippets)
- All versions from initial release through 2.0
- WordPress installations with the vulnerable plugin enabled
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-01 - CVE-2025-31775 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-31775
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from missing or improper CSRF protection in the Google SEO Pressor Snippet plugin. State-changing request handlers fail to validate a unique, unpredictable anti-CSRF token tied to the authenticated user session. An attacker can forge requests that the victim's browser transmits with valid authentication cookies attached.
The attack requires the victim to interact with attacker-controlled content while authenticated to the target WordPress site. Successful exploitation permits limited modification of plugin state without the user's knowledge. Confidentiality and availability remain unaffected, but integrity of plugin configuration data is at risk.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of proper nonce verification on plugin request handlers. WordPress provides wp_nonce_field() and check_admin_referer() functions to prevent CSRF, but the affected plugin either omits these checks or implements them incorrectly. Requests are processed based solely on the presence of a valid session cookie.
Attack Vector
An attacker hosts a malicious page containing an auto-submitting HTML form or crafted image tag targeting the vulnerable plugin endpoint. When a logged-in WordPress administrator visits the page, the browser automatically attaches session cookies to the forged request. The plugin processes the request as legitimate and applies the attacker-specified changes. See the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31775
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected modifications to Google SEO Pressor Snippet plugin settings without corresponding admin activity in audit logs
- HTTP POST or GET requests to plugin endpoints with Referer headers pointing to unrelated external domains
- Administrator sessions producing plugin configuration changes shortly after visiting untrusted external sites
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress access logs for plugin-related requests lacking a valid wp_nonce parameter or containing suspicious Referer values
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to flag state-changing requests to google-seo-author-snippets endpoints missing nonce tokens
- Correlate authenticated administrator activity with browser history and external site visits to identify potential CSRF triggers
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging to record every plugin configuration change with user, IP, and timestamp metadata
- Alert on plugin option changes occurring outside expected administrative maintenance windows
- Monitor for unusual referrer patterns targeting the WordPress admin interface
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31775
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate the Google SEO Pressor Snippet plugin until a patched version is confirmed available from the vendor
- Restrict administrator browsing habits and enforce separation between privileged WordPress sessions and general web browsing
- Review the WordPress administrator activity log for any unauthorized changes to plugin settings
Patch Information
As of publication, no patched version beyond 2.0 has been published in the enriched advisory data. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for updates from Smackcoders Inc. regarding remediation availability.
Workarounds
- Remove or disable the vulnerable plugin and replace it with an alternative SEO snippet solution that implements CSRF protection
- Implement a Web Application Firewall rule that blocks requests to plugin endpoints when the Referer header does not match the site's origin
- Require administrators to use a dedicated browser profile for WordPress management to reduce cross-site attack exposure
# Configuration example: WAF rule blocking cross-origin state-changing requests
SecRule REQUEST_METHOD "@rx ^(POST|PUT|DELETE)$" \
"chain,deny,status:403,id:1003175,msg:'Potential CSRF on google-seo-author-snippets'"
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /wp-admin/admin.php?page=google-seo" "chain"
SecRule REQUEST_HEADERS:Referer "!@beginsWith https://your-site.example.com/"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
