CVE-2025-46257 Overview
CVE-2025-46257 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the BdThemes Element Pack Pro plugin for WordPress. The flaw exists in all versions prior to 8.0.0 and is classified under [CWE-352]. An attacker can trick an authenticated user into submitting an unintended request to a vulnerable endpoint, resulting in unauthorized state changes within the affected WordPress site. The vulnerability requires user interaction, and the impact is limited to integrity, with no direct confidentiality or availability impact. The issue was published to the National Vulnerability Database on June 5, 2025.
Critical Impact
Authenticated administrators visiting an attacker-controlled page can be forced to perform unintended actions on WordPress sites running Element Pack Pro before version 8.0.0.
Affected Products
- BdThemes Element Pack Pro versions prior to 8.0.0
- WordPress sites with the Element Pack Pro plugin installed and activated
- Deployments where administrators access untrusted content while logged in
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-06-05 - CVE-2025-46257 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-46257
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from missing or insufficient CSRF protection on one or more state-changing endpoints exposed by Element Pack Pro. WordPress plugins are expected to validate nonces on privileged actions using wp_verify_nonce() or check_admin_referer(). When these checks are missing, an attacker can craft a malicious page that issues authenticated requests using the victim's browser session.
The EPSS score for CVE-2025-46257 is 0.127%, indicating a low predicted probability of exploitation activity in the near term. Exploitation requires the victim to be authenticated to the target WordPress site and to interact with attacker-controlled content, such as clicking a link or loading a page containing a forged request.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of anti-CSRF tokens on plugin actions that modify server-side state. Without nonce validation, the server cannot distinguish between requests initiated by the legitimate user interface and cross-origin requests forged by an attacker.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts a page containing a hidden form or auto-submitting JavaScript targeting the vulnerable endpoint. When an authenticated administrator visits the page, the browser attaches the WordPress session cookie, and the request executes with the victim's privileges. The impact is limited to integrity changes exposed by the affected plugin endpoints.
No verified proof-of-concept code is available. Refer to the Patchstack Security Advisory for additional technical detail.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-46257
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected configuration changes within Element Pack Pro settings that do not correlate with legitimate administrator activity
- WordPress access log entries showing plugin action requests with Referer headers pointing to unrelated external domains
- POST requests to plugin AJAX endpoints missing a valid _wpnonce parameter
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress audit logs for administrative actions performed shortly after users visited external links
- Compare Element Pack Pro plugin version against the fixed release 8.0.0 across all managed WordPress installations
- Inspect HTTP request patterns targeting /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php and plugin-specific endpoints for missing nonce tokens
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress activity logging plugins that capture administrator actions with source IP and referer data
- Alert on plugin setting modifications outside of scheduled maintenance windows
- Monitor outbound web traffic from administrator workstations to detect visits to suspicious domains during active WordPress sessions
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-46257
Immediate Actions Required
- Update BdThemes Element Pack Pro to version 8.0.0 or later on all WordPress sites where the plugin is installed
- Audit recent administrator activity for unauthorized configuration changes introduced through the plugin
- Require administrators to log out of WordPress sessions before browsing untrusted content
Patch Information
BdThemes has resolved the issue in Element Pack Pro version 8.0.0. Site operators should apply the update through the WordPress plugin management interface or by downloading the patched release from the vendor. Reference the Patchstack Security Advisory for advisory details.
Workarounds
- Restrict WordPress administrator access to trusted networks using IP allowlists at the web server or WAF layer
- Deploy a web application firewall rule that blocks state-changing requests to plugin endpoints when the Referer header does not match the site origin
- Enforce short session lifetimes for administrator accounts to reduce the window of exploitation
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
