CVE-2025-49440: WP Security Master CSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2025-49440 Overview

CVE-2025-49440 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Vuong Nguyen WP Security Master WordPress plugin. The flaw affects wp-security-master versions up to and including 1.0.2. Attackers can trick authenticated users into submitting unauthorized state-changing requests to a vulnerable WordPress site. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352 and requires user interaction to succeed. Exploitation happens over the network without prior authentication by the attacker, though victim interaction with a crafted link or page is required.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions in the context of an authenticated WordPress administrator, potentially altering plugin configuration or security settings.

Affected Products

Vuong Nguyen WP Security Master plugin for WordPress
WP Security Master versions from n/a through 1.0.2
WordPress installations with the wp-security-master plugin enabled

Discovery Timeline

2025-06-06 - CVE-2025-49440 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-49440

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from missing or improperly implemented CSRF protection on state-changing endpoints in the WP Security Master plugin. WordPress provides nonces via wp_nonce_field() and check_admin_referer() to prevent CSRF, but the plugin fails to validate these tokens on sensitive actions. An attacker crafts a malicious page that submits a forged request to the target WordPress site. When an authenticated administrator visits the page, their browser sends the request with valid session cookies. The application processes the request as legitimate because it cannot distinguish between an intentional administrative action and a forged one.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of anti-CSRF token validation on plugin request handlers. The plugin's administrative endpoints do not verify request origin using WordPress nonce APIs. This omission maps directly to CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery.

Attack Vector

The attack requires an authenticated WordPress user, typically an administrator, to visit an attacker-controlled page or click a malicious link. The forged request executes plugin actions using the victim's session. The confidentiality impact is none, integrity impact is low, and availability impact is none. Refer to the Patchstack WP Security Advisory for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49440

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to WP Security Master plugin configuration in wp_options or plugin-specific tables
WordPress access logs showing POST requests to plugin endpoints with external Referer headers
Administrator sessions producing state-changing requests immediately after visiting external sites

Detection Strategies

Inspect WordPress request logs for plugin action requests missing valid _wpnonce parameters
Monitor for anomalous POST requests to /wp-admin/admin.php or /wp-admin/admin-post.php targeting wp-security-master actions
Correlate administrator browser activity with subsequent plugin configuration changes

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable WordPress audit logging to record plugin setting changes and the initiating user
Alert on outbound Referer headers pointing to untrusted domains preceding administrative actions
Review installed plugin versions regularly to identify vulnerable wp-security-master deployments at or below 1.0.2

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49440

Immediate Actions Required

Identify WordPress instances running WP Security Master version 1.0.2 or earlier and prioritize remediation
Deactivate and remove the wp-security-master plugin until a patched version is confirmed available
Force logout of active administrator sessions and rotate credentials for privileged WordPress accounts

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no fixed version is listed in the NVD entry for CVE-2025-49440. Monitor the Patchstack WP Security Advisory and the WordPress plugin repository for an updated release above version 1.0.2.

Workarounds

Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) rule to block requests to plugin endpoints lacking a valid _wpnonce parameter
Restrict WordPress administrative access by IP allowlist at the web server or WAF layer
Train administrators to log out of WordPress sessions before browsing untrusted sites and avoid clicking unsolicited links

bash

# Configuration example: Restrict wp-admin access by IP in Apache
<Directory "/var/www/html/wp-admin">
    Require ip 203.0.113.0/24
</Directory>