CVE-2025-62751: Vireo Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-62751 Overview

CVE-2025-62751 is a missing authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in the extendthemes Vireo WordPress theme. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 1.0.24. Authenticated attackers with low-level privileges can exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels to perform actions reserved for higher-privileged roles. The issue impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected WordPress sites running the Vireo theme.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with low privileges can bypass authorization checks to perform restricted operations against WordPress sites using the Vireo theme up to version 1.0.24.

Affected Products

extendthemes Vireo theme for WordPress
All versions from n/a through 1.0.24
WordPress installations using the vulnerable theme

Discovery Timeline

2025-12-31 - CVE-2025-62751 published to NVD
2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-62751

Vulnerability Analysis

The Vireo WordPress theme exposes functionality without enforcing proper authorization checks on user roles or capabilities. The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-862] Missing Authorization. An attacker with a low-privileged authenticated account can invoke theme endpoints intended for administrators or higher-privileged users. The network-accessible attack surface and low complexity make exploitation straightforward once an account exists on the target site.

Root Cause

The theme fails to validate that the current user holds the required WordPress capability before executing privileged actions. Access control checks rely on incorrect security level assumptions rather than verifying capabilities through current_user_can() or nonce-protected workflows. Functions accessible through AJAX or theme-defined endpoints do not enforce role-based gating, allowing requests from any authenticated session to reach protected logic.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access and a valid low-privileged WordPress account such as a subscriber or contributor. The attacker submits crafted HTTP requests to vulnerable theme endpoints, bypassing the intended role restrictions. Successful exploitation enables modification of theme or site data, privileged operations, and potential cascading impact on the WordPress installation. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own authenticated session.

No public exploit code is currently available. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-62751

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected POST or AJAX requests to Vireo theme handlers from low-privileged user sessions
Unauthorized changes to theme settings, options, or content attributed to non-administrator accounts
New or modified WordPress user accounts created by sessions lacking administrative roles
Repeated 200-status responses to theme endpoints originating from subscriber-level accounts

Detection Strategies

Audit WordPress access logs for requests to Vireo theme endpoints correlated with non-admin user IDs
Review wp_options, theme settings, and content tables for changes timestamped from low-privileged sessions
Inspect installed Vireo theme version against the patched release advised by the vendor
Deploy a WordPress security plugin or web application firewall with rules targeting broken access control patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward WordPress and web server logs to a centralized analytics platform for correlation
Alert on privilege-sensitive actions performed by accounts below the editor role
Monitor for spikes in authenticated requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php referencing Vireo actions
Track theme file integrity and configuration drift on production WordPress hosts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-62751

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress sites running the Vireo theme at version 1.0.24 or earlier
Upgrade to a fixed Vireo release once published by extendthemes; consult the Patchstack advisory for the current patched version
Restrict registration of low-privileged accounts on sites where self-service signup is not required
Rotate credentials for any accounts suspected of being used to abuse the vulnerability

Patch Information

extendthemes addresses the issue in a version released after 1.0.24. Administrators should update through the WordPress dashboard or by replacing the theme files with the patched release. Confirm the running version in the WordPress admin Themes panel after the update.

Workarounds

Temporarily switch to an alternative theme until the patched Vireo version is deployed
Disable open user registration in WordPress general settings to reduce the pool of potential attackers
Deploy WAF rules that block requests to known vulnerable Vireo endpoints from non-admin sessions
Apply the principle of least privilege by reviewing and downgrading unnecessary elevated accounts

bash

# Verify installed Vireo theme version on a WordPress host
wp theme get vireo --field=version

# Force update of the Vireo theme to the latest available release
wp theme update vireo

# Disable open user registration as a temporary hardening step
wp option update users_can_register 0