CVE-2025-46462 Overview
CVE-2025-46462 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability [CWE-352] affecting the Trân Minh-Quân WPVN wpvn-username-changer WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions from n/a through <= 0.7.8. Attackers can trick authenticated users into submitting forged requests that change usernames or trigger unintended plugin actions.
Exploitation requires user interaction, typically by luring an authenticated victim to a malicious page. No privileges are required on the target site, but the attacker must convince the victim to interact with attacker-controlled content.
Critical Impact
Attackers can force authenticated WordPress users to perform username modification actions without their consent, potentially disrupting account access and site integrity.
Affected Products
- WPVN wpvn-username-changer plugin — versions from n/a through <= 0.7.8
- WordPress installations running the vulnerable plugin
- Publisher: Trân Minh-Quân (WPVN)
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-24 - CVE-2025-46462 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-46462
Vulnerability Analysis
The wpvn-username-changer plugin fails to properly verify the origin of state-changing HTTP requests. State-changing actions in the plugin do not require a valid anti-CSRF token, such as a WordPress nonce validated with wp_verify_nonce(). This allows a remote attacker to craft a request that triggers plugin functionality when submitted by an authenticated victim's browser.
The integrity impact is limited to the scope of actions the plugin exposes, primarily username modification. The vulnerability does not directly expose confidential data and does not affect service availability. Exploitation requires the victim to be logged into WordPress and to visit an attacker-controlled page.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing CSRF protection [CWE-352] on plugin request handlers. The plugin does not generate or validate a per-request nonce for actions that modify user account attributes. Because WordPress browsers automatically attach session cookies to cross-origin requests, any authenticated user visiting a malicious page can unknowingly trigger the vulnerable endpoint.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based with required user interaction. An attacker hosts a malicious page containing an auto-submitting HTML form or JavaScript that targets the vulnerable plugin endpoint on a WordPress site. When an authenticated victim loads the page, the browser sends the forged request with the victim's session cookies, and the server processes the action as if the user intended it.
The vulnerability manifests in the plugin's request handling logic where nonce verification is absent. See the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory for advisory details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-46462
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected username changes in the WordPress wp_users table with no corresponding administrative action in audit logs.
- HTTP POST requests to wpvn-username-changer plugin endpoints originating from external Referer headers or lacking a Referer header entirely.
- User complaints about account name changes they did not initiate.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for POST requests to the plugin's action endpoints where the Referer header points to an unrelated third-party domain.
- Correlate WordPress user metadata changes with administrative session activity to identify username modifications made outside expected workflows.
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that flags state-changing requests to the vulnerable plugin lacking a valid WordPress nonce parameter.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress activity logging for all user profile modifications and forward events to a centralized log store for review.
- Monitor outbound referrer patterns on authenticated admin sessions to identify suspicious cross-origin form submissions.
- Alert on any modification to the user_login field, which should be a rare administrative event.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-46462
Immediate Actions Required
- Audit all WordPress sites for the presence of the wpvn-username-changer plugin at version <= 0.7.8 and disable it until a patched release is confirmed.
- Review the WordPress user database for unauthorized username changes and restore original values where necessary.
- Force password resets and invalidate active sessions for any account whose user_login has been modified.
Patch Information
At the time of NVD publication, no fixed version is listed for the wpvn-username-changer plugin. Consult the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory for the latest patch status and vendor updates.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the wpvn-username-changer plugin until a patched release is available.
- Deploy a WAF rule that blocks requests to plugin endpoints that lack a valid WordPress nonce (_wpnonce) parameter.
- Instruct administrators to log out of WordPress sessions before browsing untrusted sites to reduce CSRF exposure.
- Restrict the WordPress admin area to trusted IP addresses via server-level access controls where feasible.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
