CVE-2025-58680 Overview
CVE-2025-58680 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the Gutentor WordPress plugin developed by gutentor. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 3.5.2 and results from incorrectly configured access control security levels [CWE-862]. Authenticated attackers with low-level privileges can exploit the weakness over the network to access resources or functionality that should be restricted. The vulnerability compromises confidentiality without requiring user interaction. Site administrators running Gutentor should treat this as a priority for patching to prevent unauthorized data exposure through the plugin's protected endpoints.
Critical Impact
Authenticated users with low privileges can bypass access controls in Gutentor versions up to 3.5.2 to reach restricted plugin functionality and disclose sensitive information.
Affected Products
- Gutentor WordPress plugin versions through 3.5.2
- WordPress sites with the vulnerable plugin installed and activated
- Multi-user WordPress environments where low-privilege accounts exist (subscribers, contributors)
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-09-22 - CVE-2025-58680 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-58680
Vulnerability Analysis
The Gutentor plugin exposes functionality that fails to verify whether the requesting user has the required capabilities before executing sensitive actions. WordPress plugins commonly register AJAX handlers or REST API endpoints and are expected to enforce authorization checks using current_user_can() or a proper capability callback. Gutentor's implementation through version 3.5.2 does not consistently enforce these checks, allowing any authenticated user to invoke the affected functionality.
The issue is categorized under CWE-862: Missing Authorization. Broken access control flaws remain among the most impactful classes of web application vulnerabilities, especially in the WordPress ecosystem where plugins frequently expose administrative capabilities to low-privilege sessions. See the Patchstack Gutentor Plugin Vulnerability advisory for additional context.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of a proper authorization check on one or more plugin endpoints. The plugin authenticates the caller but does not validate the caller's role or capability against the sensitivity of the action. This design mistake creates an incorrectly configured access control security level where all authenticated users share the same effective privileges for the vulnerable functionality.
Attack Vector
An attacker requires a valid WordPress account on the target site, such as a subscriber or contributor. The attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable Gutentor endpoint. Because the plugin does not verify the caller's capabilities, the request executes with the authority intended for higher-privileged users. The attack requires no user interaction and is exploitable over the network.
No public proof-of-concept exploit code is currently available. Refer to the Patchstack advisory for advisory-level technical details.
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Stop Identity AttacksDetection Methods for CVE-2025-58680
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected HTTP POST requests from low-privilege user sessions to Gutentor AJAX actions under /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php
- REST API calls to plugin routes originating from accounts that would not normally interact with block editor functionality
- Access log entries showing repeated requests to Gutentor endpoints from a single authenticated session
Detection Strategies
- Inventory WordPress installations and identify sites running Gutentor at version 3.5.2 or earlier
- Monitor admin-ajax.php and /wp-json/ traffic for authenticated requests to Gutentor handlers made by subscriber or contributor accounts
- Correlate WordPress user role data with plugin endpoint access to surface privilege mismatches
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward WordPress and web server access logs to a centralized analytics platform for role-versus-endpoint correlation
- Alert on anomalous request volumes to Gutentor endpoints from newly registered or dormant accounts
- Track plugin version state across the estate so newly discovered vulnerable installations trigger a review
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-58680
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Gutentor plugin to a version later than 3.5.2 as soon as the vendor publishes a fixed release
- Audit WordPress user accounts and remove or downgrade unused low-privilege accounts that could be abused for exploitation
- Restrict new user registration on sites where it is not required to reduce the attack surface
Patch Information
The vulnerability affects Gutentor versions up to and including 3.5.2. Administrators should consult the Patchstack advisory for Gutentor and the plugin's official update channel for the fixed release version. Apply the update through the WordPress plugin manager or WP-CLI once available.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the Gutentor plugin until a patched version is installed if the plugin is not business-critical
- Deploy a web application firewall rule to block unauthenticated and low-privilege access to Gutentor AJAX actions and REST routes
- Enforce strong registration controls, such as CAPTCHA and email verification, to prevent automated creation of low-privilege accounts
# Update Gutentor using WP-CLI once a fixed version is released
wp plugin update gutentor
# Or deactivate the plugin as a temporary workaround
wp plugin deactivate gutentor
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
