CVE-2025-66138 Overview
CVE-2025-66138 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the merkulove Motionger for Elementor WordPress plugin. The flaw affects all versions of motionger-elementor up to and including 2.0.4. Authenticated attackers with low privileges can exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels to perform actions that should be restricted. The weakness is categorized under [CWE-862] (Missing Authorization) and reported through Patchstack. Successful exploitation can lead to limited unauthorized access to plugin functionality, impacting both confidentiality and integrity of the affected WordPress site.
Critical Impact
Authenticated users with minimal privileges can bypass access controls in Motionger for Elementor versions up to 2.0.4, enabling unauthorized actions on impacted WordPress sites.
Affected Products
- Motionger for Elementor plugin (motionger-elementor) versions through 2.0.4
- WordPress installations using the Motionger for Elementor plugin
- Sites relying on Elementor with the merkulove Motionger extension
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-01-22 - CVE-2025-66138 published to NVD
- 2026-04-27 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-66138
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a broken access control issue in the Motionger for Elementor WordPress plugin. The plugin exposes functionality without verifying whether the requesting user has the appropriate role or capability. As a result, authenticated users with low-level privileges can invoke restricted operations intended for higher-privileged roles such as administrators or editors. The flaw maps to [CWE-862] Missing Authorization and is exploitable over the network with low attack complexity. Because the issue stems from missing capability checks rather than authentication weaknesses, exploitation requires a valid account but no elevated permissions.
Root Cause
The plugin fails to enforce capability checks within sensitive plugin handlers. WordPress security best practices require functions handling AJAX or admin requests to validate user permissions using current_user_can() and nonces via check_ajax_referer(). In motionger-elementor releases through 2.0.4, one or more endpoints omit or insufficiently validate these checks, allowing low-privileged authenticated users to reach functionality reserved for elevated roles.
Attack Vector
An attacker first obtains an authenticated session on the target WordPress site, typically as a subscriber, contributor, or similar low-privileged role. The attacker then issues a crafted HTTP request to a Motionger for Elementor endpoint that lacks proper authorization enforcement. Because the request originates from an authenticated session, the plugin processes the action without rejecting it based on user role. This produces limited confidentiality and integrity impact within the plugin's scope. No user interaction is required from a victim, and the attack is conducted entirely over the network.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available for this issue. See the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-66138
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected HTTP POST requests to admin-ajax.php referencing Motionger-related actions from low-privileged user sessions
- Unauthorized changes to Elementor templates, widgets, or plugin settings tied to the Motionger extension
- WordPress audit log entries showing subscriber or contributor accounts performing administrative plugin operations
Detection Strategies
- Review web server access logs for requests targeting motionger-elementor endpoints originating from non-administrative accounts
- Inspect WordPress user activity logs for capability-restricted actions performed by users without matching roles
- Correlate authentication events with plugin configuration changes to identify privilege misuse patterns
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable a WordPress activity logging plugin to capture plugin configuration changes and user role activity
- Monitor for anomalous spikes in AJAX requests to plugin handlers from accounts that should not interact with them
- Alert on creation or modification of Elementor content by accounts lacking the edit_posts or higher capability
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-66138
Immediate Actions Required
- Audit all WordPress sites for the presence of the Motionger for Elementor plugin and identify versions at or below 2.0.4
- Disable or remove the plugin until a patched version is available and verified
- Review existing user accounts and remove unnecessary low-privileged accounts that could be abused for exploitation
- Rotate credentials for accounts that may have been used to access plugin endpoints without authorization
Patch Information
At the time of publication, the Patchstack Vulnerability Report confirms the flaw affects versions through 2.0.4. Administrators should monitor the plugin vendor's release channel and Patchstack advisory for an updated version that adds proper capability and nonce validation, and apply it as soon as it becomes available.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the Motionger for Elementor plugin until a fixed release is published
- Restrict registration of new low-privileged accounts and enforce strong authentication for existing accounts
- Apply a web application firewall (WAF) rule to block unauthenticated and low-privileged access to Motionger plugin AJAX actions
- Limit access to the WordPress admin interface using IP allowlisting where operationally feasible
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
