CVE-2025-32266 Overview
CVE-2025-32266 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the wp-buy 404 Image Redirection (Replace Broken Images) WordPress plugin (broken-images-redirection). The flaw impacts all versions up to and including 1.4. An attacker can craft a malicious page that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, triggers unintended state-changing actions in the plugin. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352 and requires user interaction to succeed.
Critical Impact
An attacker who tricks a logged-in WordPress administrator into visiting a malicious link can modify plugin settings without consent, enabling low-integrity impact on the affected site.
Affected Products
- wp-buy 404 Image Redirection (Replace Broken Images) plugin (broken-images-redirection)
- Versions from n/a through <= 1.4
- WordPress sites using the vulnerable plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-04 - CVE-2025-32266 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-32266
Vulnerability Analysis
The 404 Image Redirection (Replace Broken Images) plugin fails to validate the origin of state-changing HTTP requests. WordPress plugins are expected to protect administrative actions using nonces generated via wp_nonce_field() and validated with check_admin_referer() or wp_verify_nonce(). This plugin does not enforce that check on affected endpoints. As a result, any authenticated session cookie present in the victim's browser is used to authorize forged requests. The Patchstack advisory documents the affected endpoint behavior and confirms the missing nonce validation.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing anti-CSRF token validation on plugin request handlers. Administrative actions accept requests based solely on the presence of a valid session cookie. WordPress transmits authentication cookies automatically on cross-origin requests, so a forged POST or GET is indistinguishable from a legitimate administrator action.
Attack Vector
An attacker hosts a page containing a hidden form or image tag that targets the vulnerable plugin endpoint. The attacker then lures a WordPress administrator to open the page through phishing, a comment link, or a compromised third-party site. When the administrator loads the page, the browser submits the forged request with the administrator's active session cookie. The plugin processes the request as authorized, allowing the attacker to modify configuration values controlled by the vulnerable handler. Exploitation requires user interaction (UI:R) and yields low integrity impact without affecting confidentiality or availability.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-32266
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to broken-images-redirection plugin settings in the WordPress database (wp_options table entries related to the plugin).
- HTTP POST requests to plugin administrative endpoints containing a Referer header from an external, untrusted domain.
- Administrator activity logs showing configuration changes without a corresponding admin dashboard session.
Detection Strategies
- Enable a WordPress activity log plugin to record all plugin setting changes and correlate with administrator login times.
- Inspect web server access logs for requests to plugin endpoints where the Referer header does not match the site's own domain.
- Monitor for authenticated admin requests that lack the expected _wpnonce parameter.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Ingest WordPress and web server logs into a centralized SIEM to alert on anomalous admin-context requests.
- Track file and database changes to the broken-images-redirection plugin directory and its associated options.
- Alert on outbound HTTP referrals from administrator browsers to known phishing or newly registered domains.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-32266
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate and remove the 404 Image Redirection (Replace Broken Images) plugin until a patched version is confirmed available.
- Force a password reset and re-authentication for all WordPress administrator accounts.
- Review recent plugin configuration changes and revert any unauthorized modifications.
- Restrict administrator access to the WordPress admin panel by IP allow-listing where feasible.
Patch Information
At the time of publication, no fixed version beyond 1.4 is referenced in the NVD entry. Review the Patchstack advisory for the latest vendor remediation status and upgrade guidance.
Workarounds
- Uninstall the vulnerable plugin and replace it with a maintained alternative that implements nonce validation.
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that blocks requests to the plugin's admin endpoints when the Referer header is missing or off-domain.
- Require administrators to use a dedicated browser profile for WordPress administration to reduce cross-site request exposure.
- Enforce SameSite=Strict cookie policies on administrative sessions where the WordPress configuration permits.
# Configuration example: disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate broken-images-redirection
wp plugin delete broken-images-redirection
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
