CVE-2025-5835 Overview
The Droip plugin for WordPress contains a missing authorization vulnerability in the droip_post_apis() function. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.2.6. Authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access or higher can invoke AJAX hooks that perform privileged operations without capability checks. Successful exploitation enables arbitrary post deletion, arbitrary post creation, post duplication, settings modification, and user manipulation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862: Missing Authorization.
Critical Impact
Any authenticated user, including low-privilege Subscribers, can manipulate site content, alter plugin settings, and modify user data on affected WordPress installations.
Affected Products
- Themeum Droip plugin for WordPress, all versions through 2.2.6
- WordPress sites with the Droip plugin installed and active
- Multisite WordPress deployments running vulnerable Droip versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-25 - CVE-2025-5835 published to NVD
- 2026-04-08 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-5835
Vulnerability Analysis
The Droip plugin exposes the droip_post_apis() function as an AJAX endpoint accessible to authenticated WordPress users. The function dispatches requests to multiple internal handlers responsible for post operations, plugin settings, and user account actions. The dispatcher does not verify that the caller holds the WordPress capabilities required for the requested action.
As a result, a Subscriber, the lowest privileged authenticated role in WordPress, can submit AJAX requests that trigger administrative behavior. Attackers leverage this to delete posts, create new posts, duplicate content, change configuration values, and alter user records. The network-accessible attack vector and low complexity contribute to the high impact rating across confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of a current_user_can() capability check inside droip_post_apis() and the sub-functions it routes to. WordPress AJAX endpoints registered with the wp_ajax_ prefix are accessible to any logged-in user. Without an explicit authorization check, the plugin treats any authenticated request as valid. A wp_verify_nonce() call alone is insufficient because nonces only confirm request intent, not user privilege.
Attack Vector
An attacker registers a free Subscriber account on any WordPress site that permits self-registration and runs the vulnerable Droip plugin. The attacker authenticates, retrieves a valid AJAX nonce from the admin-ajax endpoint, and submits crafted POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php invoking the droip_post_apis action. By varying the inner action parameter, the attacker selects which privileged operation to execute. Refer to the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-5835
Indicators of Compromise
- POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php containing the parameter action=droip_post_apis originating from low-privilege user sessions
- Unexpected post deletions, duplications, or creations attributed to Subscriber accounts
- Modifications to Droip plugin settings or WordPress user records without a corresponding administrator session
- Sudden creation of new user accounts or privilege changes following recent Subscriber registrations
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for high volumes of admin-ajax.php requests referencing the droip_post_apis action from non-administrator users
- Correlate WordPress audit log events for post and user changes against the actor's assigned role
- Hunt for newly registered Subscriber accounts that immediately issue AJAX requests to Droip endpoints
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable a WordPress audit logging plugin to record post, user, and settings changes with actor attribution
- Forward web server and WordPress logs to a centralized SIEM and alert on AJAX action names tied to the Droip plugin
- Track Subscriber-to-action ratios to surface accounts performing administrative-style operations
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-5835
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Droip plugin to a version newer than 2.2.6 once a patched release is published by Themeum
- Deactivate and remove the Droip plugin on sites that cannot be updated immediately
- Disable open user registration or restrict the default new-user role to limit exposure to Subscriber-level attacks
- Audit existing Subscriber accounts, recent post changes, and plugin settings for signs of abuse
Patch Information
Themeum has not published a fixed version in the data available at the time of writing. Monitor the Droip vendor site and the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for the patched release. Apply the update across all WordPress environments once available.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php from untrusted networks using a web application firewall rule that blocks the droip_post_apis action for non-administrator users
- Set the WordPress default_role option to a value that prevents automatic Subscriber assignment until a patch is applied
- Temporarily disable the Droip plugin on production sites until a fixed version is installed
# Disable open registration and reset default role via WP-CLI
wp option update users_can_register 0
wp option update default_role subscriber
# Deactivate the Droip plugin until a patched version is available
wp plugin deactivate droip
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
