CVE-2025-63041: Shortcode Buttons Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2025-63041 Overview

CVE-2025-63041 is a broken access control vulnerability in the WordPress plugin Forget About Shortcode Buttons in versions up to and including 2.1.3. The flaw allows authenticated users with Contributor-level privileges to access plugin functionality that should be restricted. The weakness is classified as Missing Authorization [CWE-862]. Patchstack published the vulnerability analysis referenced by NVD.

Critical Impact
An authenticated Contributor can bypass authorization checks to perform actions beyond their assigned role, leading to limited integrity and availability impact on affected WordPress sites.

Affected Products

WordPress plugin Forget About Shortcode Buttons versions <= 2.1.3
WordPress sites that permit Contributor-level registration or accounts
Any deployment exposing the plugin's endpoints to authenticated low-privileged users

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-26 - CVE-2025-63041 published to NVD
2026-06-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-63041

Vulnerability Analysis

The Forget About Shortcode Buttons plugin exposes functionality without enforcing sufficient authorization checks. A user holding the WordPress Contributor role can invoke plugin actions that should be limited to higher-privileged roles such as Editor or Administrator. The result is a broken access control condition where role boundaries are not honored by the plugin's handlers.

The CWE-862 classification indicates that the affected code paths either omit a capability check entirely or rely on authentication alone to gate sensitive operations. Attackers do not need to bypass authentication; a valid low-privileged account is sufficient. Impact is confined to limited integrity and availability effects rather than data disclosure.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing authorization on plugin request handlers. WordPress plugins are expected to invoke current_user_can() with an appropriate capability before executing state-changing actions, and to verify nonces to prevent request forgery. In vulnerable versions, at least one handler proceeds without validating that the caller possesses the required capability.

Attack Vector

The attack originates over the network from an authenticated session. A Contributor logs into the WordPress site and issues a crafted request to the plugin endpoint that lacks a capability check. Because the handler executes without verifying role permissions, the action succeeds despite the caller's limited privileges. No user interaction from an administrator is required.

See the Patchstack Vulnerability Analysis for additional technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-63041

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected plugin actions or configuration changes attributed to Contributor accounts in WordPress audit logs
Requests to Forget About Shortcode Buttons plugin endpoints originating from low-privileged user sessions
New or modified shortcode button entries created outside normal editorial workflows

Detection Strategies

Inventory WordPress installations and identify sites running Forget About Shortcode Buttons version 2.1.3 or earlier
Review web server access logs for admin-ajax.php or plugin-specific request paths invoked by Contributor accounts
Correlate WordPress user role assignments with actions performed in the plugin's data tables

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable a WordPress activity logging plugin to record role-scoped actions and configuration changes
Alert on plugin state changes performed by non-Editor, non-Administrator accounts
Monitor authentication events for newly registered Contributor accounts followed by plugin endpoint access

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-63041

Immediate Actions Required

Update Forget About Shortcode Buttons to a version later than 2.1.3 once released by the maintainer
Audit existing Contributor accounts and remove any that are not required
Disable the plugin if a fixed version is not available and the functionality is not business-critical

Patch Information

At the time of publication, NVD lists no specific fixed version. Review the Patchstack Vulnerability Analysis for the current remediation status and apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available.

Workarounds

Deactivate the Forget About Shortcode Buttons plugin until a patched release is applied
Restrict Contributor registration on public-facing WordPress sites
Deploy a Web Application Firewall rule to block requests to the plugin's endpoints from sessions that do not hold Editor or Administrator capabilities

bash

# Configuration example: disable the plugin via WP-CLI until a patch is applied
wp plugin deactivate forget-about-shortcode-buttons
wp plugin status forget-about-shortcode-buttons