CVE-2025-49445 Overview
CVE-2025-49445 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the WP Map Plugins Interactive UK Regional Map WordPress plugin. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 2.0. An attacker can trick an authenticated administrator into submitting a forged request that changes plugin settings without their consent. The issue is tracked under CWE-352 and requires user interaction to trigger the malicious request.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows unauthorized modification of plugin settings on affected WordPress sites when an administrator visits an attacker-controlled page.
Affected Products
- WP Map Plugins Interactive UK Regional Map plugin for WordPress
- Plugin slug: interactive-uk-regional-map
- All versions from n/a through 2.0
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-06-06 - CVE-2025-49445 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-49445
Vulnerability Analysis
The Interactive UK Regional Map plugin fails to validate the origin of state-changing requests to its settings handler. The plugin does not verify a WordPress nonce (wp_nonce_field / check_admin_referer) or another anti-CSRF token before applying configuration changes. As a result, an attacker can craft an HTML form or JavaScript payload hosted on an external domain that submits a request to the plugin's settings endpoint. If an authenticated administrator visits the attacker's page while logged into WordPress, the browser sends the request with valid session cookies, and the plugin processes the change.
The EPSS score is 0.128%, indicating a low probability of near-term exploitation, and no public proof-of-concept has been observed at the time of writing.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing CSRF protection on administrative actions. The plugin accepts POST requests to update its settings without verifying an anti-CSRF token or checking the Referer header. This maps directly to CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery.
Attack Vector
Exploitation is network-based and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts a malicious page containing a hidden form that targets the vulnerable WordPress admin endpoint. The attacker then lures a logged-in administrator to the page through phishing, a malicious ad, or a comment link. When the page loads, the form auto-submits, and the plugin's settings are modified under the administrator's authenticated session.
For exploitation details, refer to the Patchstack advisory for the Interactive UK Regional Map plugin.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49445
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to Interactive UK Regional Map plugin settings in wp-admin
- POST requests to plugin admin endpoints with a Referer header pointing to an external domain
- Administrator sessions performing settings updates immediately after visiting untrusted external links
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress audit logs for settings changes that do not correspond to legitimate administrator activity
- Inspect web server access logs for POST requests to /wp-admin/admin.php or /wp-admin/options.php with external Referer values
- Deploy a WordPress security plugin or Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that flags state-changing POST requests missing valid nonces
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable an activity log plugin to record all administrative configuration changes with user and IP attribution
- Alert on administrator logins followed by rapid settings changes originating from unusual referrers
- Monitor for unauthorized modifications to public-facing map content that could indicate settings tampering
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49445
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate the Interactive UK Regional Map plugin until a patched release is available
- Audit current plugin settings and revert any unauthorized changes
- Require administrators to log out of WordPress before browsing untrusted sites
Patch Information
At the time of publication, no fixed version beyond 2.0 has been indicated in the referenced advisory. Site owners should monitor the Patchstack advisory and the plugin's WordPress.org page for a security update, and apply it as soon as it is released.
Workarounds
- Remove or disable the plugin if it is not actively required on the site
- Restrict administrative access using IP allowlists at the web server or WAF layer
- Enforce SameSite=Lax or SameSite=Strict cookie attributes on WordPress session cookies to reduce cross-origin request risk
- Require re-authentication for administrative actions using a plugin that adds session hardening
# Example: temporarily deactivate the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate interactive-uk-regional-map
# Verify the plugin is inactive
wp plugin status interactive-uk-regional-map
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
