CVE-2025-53584: WP Ticket Object Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-53584 Overview

CVE-2025-53584 is a PHP Object Injection vulnerability affecting the emarket-design WP Ticket Customer Service Software & Support Ticket System WordPress plugin. The flaw stems from deserialization of untrusted data [CWE-502] and impacts all versions up to and including 6.0.2. Unauthenticated attackers can supply crafted serialized payloads that the plugin deserializes, enabling object injection within the WordPress application context. Successful exploitation can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the underlying site.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can trigger PHP object injection through the wp-ticket plugin, potentially leading to remote code execution, data tampering, or full site compromise when combined with a usable gadget chain.

Affected Products

emarket-design WP Ticket Customer Service Software & Support Ticket System (wp-ticket)
All versions from initial release through 6.0.2
WordPress sites running the vulnerable plugin

Discovery Timeline

2025-08-28 - CVE-2025-53584 published to NVD
2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-53584

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a PHP Object Injection issue rooted in unsafe deserialization of attacker-controlled input. When the plugin passes untrusted data to PHP's unserialize() function, an attacker can craft a serialized object that instantiates arbitrary classes available in the WordPress runtime. If the application or any loaded plugin contains a usable magic method such as __wakeup, __destruct, or __toString, the attacker can chain those methods into a gadget that performs file writes, command execution, or arbitrary database modification.

The issue is network-reachable and requires no authentication or user interaction, though attack complexity is elevated because exploitation typically depends on finding a viable gadget chain in the target WordPress installation. The EPSS probability is 0.101%, reflecting limited observed exploitation activity at this time.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper input handling in wp-ticket versions through 6.0.2 where serialized data from a user-controllable source reaches a deserialization sink without validation or signature checking. PHP's native deserialization automatically reconstructs class instances and invokes lifecycle magic methods, transforming untrusted bytes into executable object behavior.

Attack Vector

The attacker delivers a crafted serialized payload over HTTP to a plugin endpoint that accepts ticket-related data. When the plugin calls unserialize() on the payload, the constructed objects trigger magic methods present in loaded WordPress, plugin, or theme classes. Refer to the Patchstack WP-Ticket Vulnerability advisory for technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-53584

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP request bodies or parameters targeting wp-ticket endpoints containing PHP serialization markers such as O:, a:, or s: followed by class names and lengths.
Unexpected new PHP files or modified plugin/theme files on the WordPress filesystem following requests to wp-ticket URLs.
New administrative WordPress accounts or unexpected scheduled tasks (wp_cron) created shortly after wp-ticket traffic.
Outbound connections from the web server to unfamiliar hosts originating from PHP worker processes.

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for POST or GET requests to wp-ticket plugin paths containing serialized object patterns.
Monitor PHP error logs for unserialize() warnings, undefined class references, or magic method exceptions tied to the plugin.
Apply WAF rules that flag serialized PHP payloads in request parameters bound for WordPress plugin endpoints.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable file integrity monitoring across wp-content/plugins/, wp-content/themes/, and the WordPress root to detect post-exploitation changes.
Forward WordPress, web server, and PHP-FPM logs to a centralized analytics platform for correlated review of plugin-targeted traffic.
Alert on creation of administrator accounts, plugin installations, or option changes that occur outside known maintenance windows.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-53584

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress sites running the wp-ticket plugin at version 6.0.2 or earlier and inventory their exposure.
Deactivate the wp-ticket plugin on affected sites until a patched release is installed.
Restrict access to WordPress admin and plugin endpoints with network ACLs or a WAF while remediation is in progress.
Review user accounts, scheduled tasks, and recently modified PHP files for signs of prior compromise.

Patch Information

A fixed version beyond 6.0.2 should be applied as soon as the vendor publishes an update. Track the Patchstack advisory for wp-ticket for the current patched release and update guidance from emarket-design.

Workarounds

Disable and remove the wp-ticket plugin until a vendor-supplied fix is available.
Deploy WAF signatures that block PHP serialized payloads (patterns matching O:\d+:", a:\d+:{) in requests to WordPress plugin endpoints.
Restrict the WordPress PHP user's filesystem write permissions to limit post-exploitation impact from a gadget chain.

bash

# Configuration example: disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate wp-ticket
wp plugin delete wp-ticket

# Example ModSecurity rule to block serialized PHP objects in wp-ticket requests
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains wp-ticket" \
  "chain,id:1005358,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,msg:'Possible PHP Object Injection (CVE-2025-53584)'"
  SecRule ARGS|REQUEST_BODY "@rx O:\d+:\"[A-Za-z_\\\\]+\"" "t:none"