CVE-2025-47646: PSW Login Plugin Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-47646 Overview

CVE-2025-47646 is a critical Weak Password Recovery Mechanism vulnerability affecting the PSW Front-end Login & Registration WordPress plugin developed by Gilblas Ngunte Possi. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit the password recovery functionality to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, including potentially administrator accounts on affected WordPress installations.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables attackers to exploit the password recovery mechanism without authentication, potentially leading to complete account takeover including administrative accounts on WordPress sites using this plugin.

Affected Products

• PSW Front-end Login & Registration plugin versions through 1.13
• WordPress installations utilizing the vulnerable plugin versions
• All user accounts on affected WordPress sites

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-05-23 - CVE-2025-47646 published to NVD
• 2025-05-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-47646

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password). The PSW Front-end Login & Registration plugin implements a flawed password recovery mechanism that fails to properly validate password reset requests. This weakness allows attackers to bypass intended authentication controls and exploit the password recovery process to gain unauthorized access to user accounts.

The vulnerability is network-accessible and requires no authentication or user interaction to exploit, making it particularly dangerous for WordPress sites that are publicly accessible. Successful exploitation could result in complete compromise of user accounts, including those with administrative privileges, leading to high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected WordPress installation.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper implementation of the password recovery mechanism within the PSW Front-end Login & Registration plugin. The plugin fails to implement adequate verification controls during the password reset process, allowing attackers to manipulate or bypass the intended authentication workflow. This broken authentication vulnerability enables password recovery exploitation without proper validation of the requesting party's identity.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2025-47646 is network-based, requiring no privileges or user interaction. An attacker can remotely target the password recovery functionality of the plugin to exploit weak validation mechanisms. The attack flow typically involves:

1. Identifying a WordPress site using the vulnerable PSW Front-end Login & Registration plugin
2. Initiating a password reset request for a target user account
3. Exploiting the weak recovery mechanism to bypass verification controls
4. Gaining unauthorized access to the target account

Due to the sensitive nature of this vulnerability and its potential for account takeover, specific exploitation details are not provided. Administrators should refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for additional technical information.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47646

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual password reset requests or high volume of password reset emails
• Failed or successful login attempts from unexpected IP addresses following password reset requests
• Multiple password changes for the same account in a short timeframe
• Access to administrative functions from previously unknown users or IP addresses
• Audit log entries showing unauthorized account modifications

Detection Strategies

• Monitor WordPress authentication logs for anomalous password reset activity
• Implement rate limiting detection for password recovery endpoint requests
• Alert on successful logins following password reset requests from suspicious sources
• Review plugin activity logs for PSW Front-end Login & Registration related events
• Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for all authentication-related events in WordPress
• Configure alerts for multiple password reset requests targeting the same account
• Monitor for changes to user roles and permissions, especially elevation to administrator
• Track login patterns and flag access from geographically unusual locations
• Regularly audit user accounts for unauthorized modifications

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47646

Immediate Actions Required

• Identify all WordPress installations using PSW Front-end Login & Registration plugin
• Disable the plugin until a patched version is available or implement workarounds
• Audit all user accounts for signs of compromise or unauthorized access
• Reset passwords for all users, especially administrative accounts
• Review and remove any unauthorized administrator accounts

Patch Information

Organizations should check for updates to the PSW Front-end Login & Registration plugin and apply any security patches as soon as they become available. Monitor the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report for the latest remediation guidance. Consider replacing the vulnerable plugin with an alternative that has a stronger security track record if no patch is forthcoming.

Workarounds

• Disable the PSW Front-end Login & Registration plugin until patched
• Implement additional authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Restrict access to the WordPress admin area by IP address where feasible
• Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter malicious requests to the password recovery endpoint
• Consider using WordPress's native authentication or a well-maintained alternative plugin

# WordPress CLI commands to disable the vulnerable plugin
wp plugin deactivate psw-login-and-registration --allow-root

# List all administrator accounts to audit for unauthorized additions
wp user list --role=administrator --allow-root

# Force password reset for all users (use with caution)
wp user reset-password $(wp user list --field=user_login --allow-root) --allow-root