CVE-2025-31836: Review Manager Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-31836 Overview

CVE-2025-31836 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] affecting the Review Manager WordPress plugin developed by matthewrubin. The flaw stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels within the plugin. It affects all versions of Review Manager from unspecified early releases through and including version 2.5.0. An unauthenticated attacker can reach protected functionality over the network without user interaction. Successful exploitation results in limited integrity impact on the affected WordPress site.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can invoke plugin actions that should require authentication, allowing modification of review-related data on affected WordPress sites.

Affected Products

matthewrubin Review Manager plugin for WordPress
Review Manager versions up to and including 2.5.0
WordPress installations with the vulnerable plugin activated

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-01 - CVE-2025-31836 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-31836

Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2025-31836 is a Broken Access Control weakness classified under [CWE-862] Missing Authorization. The Review Manager plugin exposes one or more actions that fail to verify whether the requesting user has the required capability or role. As a result, requests from unauthenticated or low-privileged users are processed as if they came from authorized users.

The vulnerability affects the confidentiality-integrity-availability profile with impact limited to integrity. Attackers cannot read arbitrary data or crash the site, but they can alter state that the plugin controls. This includes review content managed by the plugin on affected WordPress installations.

Root Cause

The root cause is a missing authorization check on one or more privileged handlers within the Review Manager plugin. WordPress plugins are expected to invoke current_user_can() capability checks and validate nonces on state-changing endpoints. In vulnerable versions up to 2.5.0, these checks are absent or improperly configured, allowing access control levels to be bypassed by direct request.

Attack Vector

An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to the WordPress site hosting the vulnerable plugin. No credentials, tokens, or user interaction are required. The attacker targets the unprotected plugin action, typically via the admin-ajax.php endpoint or a plugin-registered REST route. Because the handler skips the authorization check, the server executes the requested operation. Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for additional technical detail.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31836

Indicators of Compromise

Unauthenticated POST requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php referencing Review Manager plugin actions
Unexpected changes, additions, or deletions of reviews stored by the plugin
Access log entries from unfamiliar IP addresses targeting /wp-content/plugins/review-manager/ paths

Detection Strategies

Inventory WordPress sites and identify installations running Review Manager version 2.5.0 or earlier
Review web server access logs for high-volume or scripted requests to plugin endpoints without prior authentication cookies
Alert on modifications to review records that do not correlate with authenticated admin sessions

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable audit logging for all WordPress content changes tied to the Review Manager plugin
Monitor outbound WAF telemetry for signatures targeting WordPress broken access control patterns
Track EPSS score changes for CVE-2025-31836, currently at 0.421% and 34.2 percentile, as an indicator of shifting exploitation likelihood

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31836

Immediate Actions Required

Update the Review Manager plugin to a version later than 2.5.0 once the vendor publishes a patched release
Audit user roles and remove unnecessary privileged accounts that could compound impact if the plugin is exploited
Restrict access to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php from untrusted networks where feasible

Patch Information

As of the last NVD update on 2026-06-17, no fixed version has been published in the referenced advisory beyond version 2.5.0. Administrators should consult the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for the latest remediation status and to confirm when a fixed release becomes available.

Workarounds

Deactivate and remove the Review Manager plugin until a patched version is released
Deploy a web application firewall rule blocking unauthenticated requests to Review Manager plugin actions
Apply virtual patching at the WAF layer to enforce authentication on affected admin-ajax.php action parameters

bash

# Configuration example
# Example WAF/Nginx rule to block unauthenticated Review Manager AJAX actions
location = /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php {
    if ($arg_action ~* "^review_manager_") {
        # Require WordPress logged_in cookie before allowing the request
        if ($http_cookie !~* "wordpress_logged_in_") {
            return 403;
        }
    }
}