CVE-2025-39583 Overview
CVE-2025-39583 is a missing authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] affecting the BERTHA AI WordPress plugin (bertha-ai-free) developed by Andrew Palmer. The flaw stems from incorrectly configured access control on plugin endpoints. Authenticated users with low privileges can invoke privileged actions, resulting in arbitrary content deletion within affected WordPress sites. The issue affects BERTHA AI versions up to and including 1.12.10.2.
Critical Impact
A low-privileged authenticated attacker can delete arbitrary content on a WordPress site running a vulnerable BERTHA AI plugin, causing data loss and service disruption.
Affected Products
- BERTHA AI WordPress plugin (bertha-ai-free) versions up to and including 1.12.10.2
- WordPress sites with the Bertha AI – Andrew Palmer plugin installed
- Multi-author or membership WordPress deployments where low-privileged accounts exist
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-17 - CVE-2025-39583 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-39583
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a broken access control issue classified under [CWE-862] Missing Authorization. The BERTHA AI plugin exposes one or more action handlers without verifying the requesting user's capability or role. WordPress plugins typically enforce authorization through current_user_can() capability checks or nonce validation. The vulnerable code path omits these checks, allowing any authenticated user to invoke administrative functionality.
The Patchstack advisory identifies the impact as arbitrary content deletion. An attacker with subscriber-level credentials, the lowest authenticated tier in WordPress, can trigger destructive actions normally restricted to administrators or editors. The integrity impact is partial while the availability impact is high, reflecting the destructive nature of content removal.
Root Cause
The plugin handlers fail to validate caller permissions before executing privileged operations. Without current_user_can() enforcement or equivalent capability gating, the server processes deletion requests based solely on authentication state rather than authorization level.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires low privileges with no user interaction. An attacker registers or compromises a subscriber-level WordPress account, then issues crafted HTTP requests to the plugin's exposed AJAX or REST endpoints. The server executes the deletion action without verifying that the caller holds the required capability, removing posts or other content owned by other users.
No public proof-of-concept exploit, CISA KEV listing, or evidence of in-the-wild exploitation is currently associated with this CVE. Technical exploitation details are documented in the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-39583
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected deletion of posts, pages, or custom post types on WordPress sites running bertha-ai-free version 1.12.10.2 or earlier
- HTTP POST requests to BERTHA AI plugin endpoints (typically /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with plugin-specific actions) originating from subscriber-level accounts
- Audit log entries showing content removal events without corresponding administrator activity
Detection Strategies
- Inventory WordPress installations and identify any running the bertha-ai-free plugin at version 1.12.10.2 or earlier
- Review web server access logs for requests to plugin AJAX or REST endpoints made by non-administrator user IDs
- Correlate WordPress activity logs with content deletion events to identify unauthorized destructive actions
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable a WordPress activity logging plugin to record post deletions, user role assignments, and AJAX action invocations
- Monitor for bulk content removal patterns or rapid sequential deletion API calls from a single session
- Alert on new subscriber-level account creation followed by privileged endpoint access within a short time window
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-39583
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the BERTHA AI plugin to a version newer than 1.12.10.2 once the vendor publishes a fixed release
- Audit existing WordPress user accounts and remove unnecessary subscriber or contributor accounts
- Review recent content deletion logs for evidence of exploitation and restore content from backups if needed
Patch Information
The Patchstack advisory tracks remediation status for this vulnerability. Administrators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for the latest fixed version information and apply updates through the WordPress plugin updater.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the bertha-ai-free plugin until a patched version is installed
- Restrict open user registration by setting Anyone can register to disabled under WordPress general settings
- Deploy a web application firewall rule to block requests to BERTHA AI plugin endpoints from non-administrator sessions
- Maintain current offsite backups of WordPress content and database to enable rapid recovery from arbitrary deletion
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
