CVE-2025-58819: Bulk Featured Image RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-58819 Overview

CVE-2025-58819 is an Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerability (CWE-434) affecting the CreedAlly Bulk Featured Image plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability allows attackers to upload malicious web shells to vulnerable web servers, potentially resulting in complete server compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables attackers to upload and execute arbitrary web shells on WordPress servers running affected versions of the Bulk Featured Image plugin, leading to potential full system compromise.

Affected Products

• CreedAlly Bulk Featured Image plugin versions through 1.2.4
• WordPress installations running vulnerable plugin versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-09-05 - CVE-2025-58819 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-58819

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of uploaded file types within the Bulk Featured Image plugin. The plugin fails to properly restrict the types of files that can be uploaded through its bulk image management functionality. This oversight allows attackers to bypass intended security controls and upload files with dangerous extensions, including PHP web shells that can execute arbitrary code on the server.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type), a well-known weakness category that occurs when software allows users to upload files without properly verifying that the file type is safe for the application's context.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the absence of proper file type validation and sanitization in the plugin's upload handling functionality. The plugin accepts file uploads without adequately checking file extensions, MIME types, or file content to ensure only legitimate image files are processed. This allows malicious actors to craft requests that upload executable PHP files disguised as images or directly upload files with dangerous extensions.

Attack Vector

An attacker exploiting this vulnerability would typically follow these steps:

1. Identify a WordPress installation running a vulnerable version of the Bulk Featured Image plugin
2. Access the plugin's upload functionality (which may require some level of WordPress authentication depending on plugin configuration)
3. Craft a malicious PHP web shell file, potentially with a manipulated extension or MIME type
4. Upload the malicious file through the plugin's bulk image upload feature
5. Access the uploaded web shell via its URL on the server
6. Execute arbitrary commands on the compromised server

The vulnerability allows the upload of web shells, which provide attackers with a persistent backdoor for command execution, file manipulation, database access, and lateral movement within the network. For detailed technical information, see the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-58819

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected PHP files appearing in WordPress upload directories, particularly within /wp-content/uploads/
• Web server access logs showing requests to unfamiliar PHP files in upload directories
• Unusual file naming patterns in image upload locations (e.g., files with double extensions like .jpg.php)
• Presence of known web shell signatures in uploaded files
• Unexpected outbound network connections from the web server

Detection Strategies

• Implement file integrity monitoring on WordPress upload directories to detect unauthorized file additions
• Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) configured to block requests containing web shell payloads
• Review web server access logs for suspicious POST requests to the plugin's upload endpoints
• Scan upload directories regularly for files with executable extensions or suspicious content patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable real-time monitoring of file system changes in WordPress directories
• Configure alerts for new PHP file creation in upload folders
• Monitor for unusual process spawning from web server processes
• Implement centralized logging to correlate upload events with subsequent suspicious activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-58819

Immediate Actions Required

• Audit your WordPress installation to determine if the Bulk Featured Image plugin is installed
• Check the installed plugin version and verify if it is vulnerable (versions through 1.2.4)
• If vulnerable, immediately disable or remove the plugin until a patched version is available
• Scan upload directories for any suspicious files that may have been uploaded
• Review web server access logs for evidence of exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Users should monitor the official WordPress plugin repository and the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for updates regarding a patched version of the Bulk Featured Image plugin. Until a security patch is released, the plugin should be disabled on production systems.

Workarounds

• Disable or completely remove the Bulk Featured Image plugin until a patched version is released
• Implement server-level controls to prevent PHP execution in upload directories by adding appropriate .htaccess rules
• Use a web application firewall to filter and block malicious file upload attempts
• Restrict access to the WordPress admin panel and plugin functionality to trusted IP addresses only
• Implement additional file upload validation at the server level

# Apache .htaccess rule to prevent PHP execution in uploads directory
# Add this to /wp-content/uploads/.htaccess

<FilesMatch "\.(?:php|phtml|php3|php4|php5|php7|phps)$">
    Require all denied
</FilesMatch>

# Alternative: Disable PHP execution entirely in uploads
php_flag engine off