CVE-2025-49865: Advanced Settings Plugin CSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2025-49865 Overview

CVE-2025-49865 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Helmut Wandl Advanced Settings WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions of the advanced-settings plugin up to and including 3.0.1. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to trick authenticated administrators into performing unintended state-changing actions on the WordPress site.

The issue is tracked under CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery. Exploitation requires user interaction, typically by luring an authenticated user to click a malicious link or visit an attacker-controlled page. Successful exploitation can result in limited integrity impact on the target WordPress installation.

Critical Impact
An attacker can forge requests that authenticated administrators unknowingly submit, modifying plugin settings without authorization.

Affected Products

Helmut Wandl Advanced Settings plugin for WordPress
Versions from n/a through 3.0.1 (inclusive)
WordPress sites running the vulnerable advanced-settings plugin

Discovery Timeline

2025-06-17 - CVE-2025-49865 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-49865

Vulnerability Analysis

The Advanced Settings plugin fails to validate the origin or authenticity of incoming state-changing HTTP requests. WordPress plugins are expected to implement nonce verification using functions such as wp_verify_nonce() or check_admin_referer() before processing administrative actions. The absence or improper implementation of these checks in versions through 3.0.1 permits Cross-Site Request Forgery.

An attacker crafts a malicious web page containing a hidden form or JavaScript that submits a request to the vulnerable plugin endpoint. When an authenticated WordPress administrator visits the attacker-controlled page, the browser automatically includes the administrator's session cookies. The plugin then processes the forged request as if it originated from a legitimate action.

The scope is limited to integrity impact with no confidentiality or availability effect. This aligns with typical CSRF outcomes where attackers modify settings but cannot directly extract data or crash the server.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or inadequate CSRF token validation on administrative request handlers within the plugin. Without a per-request nonce tied to the user session, the plugin cannot distinguish between an intentional administrator action and a forged request submitted from an external origin.

Attack Vector

The attack requires the target administrator to be authenticated to WordPress and to interact with attacker-controlled content. Delivery vectors include phishing emails containing malicious links, comment spam with crafted URLs, or compromised third-party sites embedding auto-submitting forms. The attack is network-based and requires no privileges from the attacker, only user interaction from the victim.

For technical specifics, refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49865

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to Advanced Settings plugin configuration entries in the WordPress database
HTTP POST requests to plugin administrative endpoints with Referer headers pointing to external domains
Administrator session activity originating from unusual referrers or immediately following visits to untrusted sites

Detection Strategies

Review web server access logs for POST requests to wp-admin endpoints associated with the advanced-settings plugin that lack a valid same-origin Referer
Audit WordPress plugin option changes using database change tracking or integrity monitoring on the wp_options table
Correlate administrator browser activity with plugin configuration changes to identify unintended modifications

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable WordPress audit logging to capture plugin configuration changes with timestamps and user context
Monitor outbound administrator email accounts and browsing telemetry for phishing indicators targeting site operators
Alert on plugin option modifications occurring outside expected administrative maintenance windows

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49865

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress installations running the Helmut Wandl Advanced Settings plugin version 3.0.1 or earlier
Restrict administrative access to trusted networks or require multi-factor authentication for WordPress administrator accounts
Instruct administrators to log out of WordPress sessions before browsing untrusted content

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no fixed version is listed in the referenced advisory. Monitor the Patchstack advisory and the plugin's official page for an updated release that adds nonce verification to affected endpoints. Apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available.

Workarounds

Deactivate and remove the Advanced Settings plugin until a patched version is released
Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that enforces same-origin Referer validation for wp-admin POST requests targeting the plugin
Use browser session isolation for WordPress administrators, keeping administrative sessions separate from general browsing

bash

# Example WAF rule concept (ModSecurity) enforcing Referer origin for wp-admin POSTs
SecRule REQUEST_METHOD "@streq POST" \
  "chain,phase:2,deny,status:403,id:1004985,\
  msg:'Blocked cross-origin POST to wp-admin (CVE-2025-49865 mitigation)'"
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /wp-admin/" \
  "chain"
SecRule REQUEST_HEADERS:Referer "!@beginsWith https://your-site.example/" \
  "t:none"