CVE-2025-48339 Overview
CVE-2025-48339 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the activity-log.com Profiler - What Slowing Down Your WP WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 1.0.0. The plugin exposes functionality protected by incorrectly configured access control security levels, allowing unauthenticated network attackers to invoke actions that should require authentication.
The issue maps to [CWE-862: Missing Authorization]. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality and integrity of the affected WordPress site, though availability is not directly affected.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can reach plugin functionality without proper access control checks, leading to information disclosure and unauthorized modifications on WordPress sites running Profiler versions through 1.0.0.
Affected Products
- activity-log.com Profiler - What Slowing Down Your WP plugin
- All versions from n/a through 1.0.0
- WordPress installations with the Profiler plugin enabled
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-16 - CVE-2025-48339 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-48339
Vulnerability Analysis
The Profiler plugin exposes performance profiling functionality through WordPress action handlers. The plugin fails to enforce capability checks on requests reaching these handlers. As a result, users without required privileges, including unauthenticated visitors, can trigger actions intended for administrators.
The vulnerability sits in the plugin's request-handling logic where access control decisions are made based on incorrectly configured security levels rather than WordPress capability checks such as current_user_can(). Attackers reach these endpoints over the network without user interaction.
The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) places this issue at a low probability of exploitation in the near term. No public proof-of-concept exploit has been observed at the time of publication.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing authorization enforcement on privileged plugin actions. WordPress plugins must gate sensitive actions with both nonce verification and capability checks. Profiler implements access control at an incorrect level, letting requests bypass the intended privilege boundary. This is a classic broken access control pattern documented in [CWE-862].
Attack Vector
An attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to the WordPress site targeting Profiler plugin endpoints. Because no authentication or authorization check gates the vulnerable handlers, the request executes with the plugin's intended privileges. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network with low attack complexity and requires no user interaction.
Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory for additional technical context on the affected code paths.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-48339
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected HTTP requests to Profiler plugin action handlers from unauthenticated sessions
- WordPress access logs showing admin-ajax.php or plugin endpoint requests without a valid logged-in session cookie
- Unexplained changes to profiler configuration or generated performance reports
Detection Strategies
- Inventory WordPress deployments and identify sites running Profiler - What Slowing Down Your WP version 1.0.0 or earlier
- Monitor web server logs for requests to plugin action names originating from anonymous sources
- Correlate WordPress audit logs with plugin activity to identify actions performed without a corresponding authenticated session
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging on the WordPress installation and forward logs to a centralized analytics platform
- Alert on repeated requests to plugin endpoints from single source IPs indicating enumeration or automated exploitation
- Track plugin file integrity to detect unauthorized configuration changes
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-48339
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress sites running the Profiler plugin at version 1.0.0 or below
- Deactivate and remove the plugin until a patched version is confirmed available
- Review WordPress access logs for signs of exploitation attempts against plugin endpoints
- Restrict administrative access paths behind IP allowlists or a web application firewall
Patch Information
At the time of publication, the Patchstack advisory lists the vulnerability as affecting versions up to and including 1.0.0. Administrators should consult the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory for the latest patch status and vendor updates.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the Profiler plugin until a fixed release is confirmed
- Deploy a web application firewall rule blocking anonymous access to the plugin's action endpoints
- Apply virtual patching through Patchstack or an equivalent WordPress protection service
- Limit access to wp-admin and admin-ajax.php via network-level controls where feasible
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
