CVE-2025-49511: Civi Framework CSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2025-49511 Overview

A Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability has been identified in the Civi Framework WordPress plugin developed by uxper. This vulnerability allows attackers to trick authenticated users into performing unintended actions, specifically enabling user deactivation through forged requests. The flaw exists due to missing or improper CSRF token validation in the plugin's user management functionality.

Critical Impact

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to deactivate user accounts without authorization by crafting malicious requests and tricking authenticated administrators into executing them.

Affected Products

• Civi Framework WordPress Plugin versions up to and including 2.1.6

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-10 - CVE-2025-49511 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-49511

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery). CSRF vulnerabilities occur when a web application does not properly verify that a request was intentionally made by the user who submitted it. In the case of the Civi Framework plugin, the user deactivation functionality lacks proper CSRF protection, allowing malicious actors to forge requests that perform administrative actions.

The exploitation of this vulnerability requires social engineering to trick an authenticated administrator into clicking a malicious link or visiting a crafted webpage while logged into the WordPress admin panel. Once triggered, the forged request is processed with the victim's privileges, resulting in unauthorized user deactivation.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the absence of proper CSRF token validation in the user deactivation endpoint of the Civi Framework plugin. WordPress provides built-in nonce verification functions such as wp_verify_nonce() and check_admin_referer() to protect against CSRF attacks. The vulnerable versions of this plugin fail to implement these security controls on sensitive administrative operations.

Attack Vector

An attacker exploits this vulnerability by creating a malicious webpage or email containing a crafted request targeting the user deactivation functionality. When an authenticated WordPress administrator with the Civi Framework plugin installed visits the attacker-controlled content, the browser automatically sends the forged request with the user's session cookies.

The attack flow typically involves:

1. Attacker identifies the vulnerable endpoint for user deactivation in the Civi Framework plugin
2. Attacker crafts a malicious HTML page containing a hidden form or image tag with the target URL and parameters
3. Attacker distributes the malicious link via phishing emails or compromised websites
4. Victim administrator clicks the link while authenticated to the WordPress dashboard
5. The forged request executes with administrative privileges, deactivating target users

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49511

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected user account deactivations without corresponding audit log entries from legitimate admin actions
• Referrer logs showing external domains associated with user deactivation requests
• Reports from users about being locked out of their accounts without explanation
• Suspicious traffic patterns to user management endpoints from external referrers

Detection Strategies

• Monitor WordPress access logs for user deactivation requests originating from external referrers
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block requests lacking proper CSRF tokens
• Review audit logs for administrative actions performed during suspicious time windows
• Deploy endpoint detection to identify malicious HTML payloads designed for CSRF attacks

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for all administrative actions in WordPress
• Configure alerts for bulk or rapid user deactivation events
• Monitor for unusual referrer headers on sensitive administrative endpoints
• Implement real-time monitoring of WordPress plugin activity through security plugins

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49511

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Civi Framework plugin to a patched version as soon as one becomes available
• Review recent user deactivation activity for signs of exploitation
• Temporarily disable the Civi Framework plugin if it is not critical to operations
• Educate administrators about the risks of clicking untrusted links while logged into WordPress

Patch Information

Organizations should monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for updates regarding a security patch from the plugin developer. Until a patch is released, implement the workarounds listed below to reduce exposure to this vulnerability.

Workarounds

• Restrict access to the WordPress admin panel to trusted IP addresses only
• Implement additional browser-based CSRF protection through security plugins such as Wordfence or Sucuri
• Ensure administrators use separate browser sessions for WordPress administration and general web browsing
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall with CSRF detection capabilities in front of the WordPress installation

# Example: Restrict WordPress admin access by IP in .htaccess
<Files wp-login.php>
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.100
    Allow from 10.0.0.0/24
</Files>