CVE-2025-47628 Overview
CVE-2025-47628 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in the quomodosoft QS Dark Mode WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions of qs-dark-mode up to and including version 3.0. Attackers with low-privilege authenticated access can exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels to perform actions reserved for higher-privileged users. The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 8.8 and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected WordPress sites. Exploitation requires network access and low attacker complexity, making any WordPress instance with the plugin installed a viable target.
Critical Impact
Authenticated low-privilege users can bypass access controls to modify plugin functionality, alter site configuration, or escalate privileges on affected WordPress installations.
Affected Products
- quomodosoft QS Dark Mode plugin for WordPress
- All versions from initial release through 3.0 (inclusive)
- WordPress sites using the qs-dark-mode plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-05-07 - CVE-2025-47628 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-47628
Vulnerability Analysis
The QS Dark Mode plugin exposes functionality without verifying that the calling user holds the required capability or role. The plugin fails to enforce WordPress capability checks before executing privileged operations, which constitutes a Broken Access Control flaw mapped to [CWE-862]. An authenticated user with minimal privileges, such as a subscriber, can invoke restricted plugin actions through the standard WordPress request flow. The attack vector is network-based and does not require user interaction. Successful exploitation results in high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability dimensions. The current EPSS score is 0.305%, placing the vulnerability in the 22nd percentile for likelihood of exploitation activity.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing authorization logic in the plugin's request handlers. The plugin omits current_user_can() checks or equivalent capability validation before executing sensitive operations. Without these checks, the plugin treats authenticated requests as authorized regardless of the user's actual role.
Attack Vector
An attacker authenticates to the target WordPress site with any low-privilege account. The attacker then issues HTTP requests to plugin endpoints that should be restricted to administrators. Because the plugin does not validate the user's role, the requests execute successfully and alter plugin state or site configuration. Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability advisory for technical details on the affected endpoints.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47628
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to QS Dark Mode plugin settings made by non-administrator accounts.
- WordPress audit log entries showing low-privilege users invoking plugin AJAX or admin-post actions tied to qs-dark-mode.
- HTTP POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or /wp-admin/admin-post.php referencing qs_dark_mode handlers from subscriber-level sessions.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for plugin endpoint requests originating from sessions tied to non-administrative user IDs.
- Compare current plugin configuration against a known-good baseline to identify unauthorized modifications.
- Enable verbose WordPress logging or a security plugin that records capability checks and user actions on plugin endpoints.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on any modification to QS Dark Mode plugin options stored in the wp_options table.
- Monitor for spikes in authenticated requests to plugin endpoints from accounts that historically do not interact with administrative functions.
- Track plugin version inventory across managed WordPress sites to confirm patched releases are deployed.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47628
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress installations running QS Dark Mode version 3.0 or earlier.
- Disable or remove the qs-dark-mode plugin until a patched version is verified and installed.
- Audit existing user accounts and remove unused low-privilege accounts that could be leveraged for exploitation.
Patch Information
No patched version is identified in the available references. Monitor the Patchstack advisory and the vendor's plugin page for an updated release addressing the missing authorization checks.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the QS Dark Mode plugin on production sites until a vendor fix is released.
- Restrict access to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php and /wp-admin/admin-post.php for the affected plugin actions using a web application firewall rule.
- Enforce least-privilege principles by reviewing and reducing the number of accounts with login access to the WordPress site.
# Disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate qs-dark-mode
wp plugin delete qs-dark-mode
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
