CVE-2025-69108: Hot Coffee Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-69108 Overview

CVE-2025-69108 is an unauthenticated PHP Object Injection vulnerability affecting the Hot Coffee WordPress theme in versions 1.7 and earlier. The flaw stems from insecure deserialization of user-supplied input [CWE-502]. Remote attackers can exploit the issue without authentication over the network. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution, data tampering, and full site compromise when a suitable POP (Property-Oriented Programming) chain is present in the WordPress environment.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can trigger PHP object injection in the Hot Coffee theme to execute arbitrary code, modify data, and disrupt service on affected WordPress sites.

Affected Products

Hot Coffee WordPress theme versions <= 1.7
WordPress sites running the vulnerable theme regardless of WordPress core version
Hosting environments exposing the theme to unauthenticated network traffic

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-17 - CVE-2025-69108 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-69108

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an Insecure Deserialization issue classified under [CWE-502]. The Hot Coffee theme passes attacker-controlled input to a PHP deserialization routine, such as unserialize(), without validating or restricting the resulting object types. When the theme reconstructs PHP objects from this input, magic methods like __wakeup(), __destruct(), or __toString() can fire and trigger unintended behavior. Attackers can chain these magic methods with classes already loaded in WordPress core, plugins, or other themes to build a POP chain. The result is the ability to influence application logic, file operations, or command execution paths.

Root Cause

The root cause is the theme's acceptance of serialized PHP data from an untrusted source and passing it directly to a deserialization function. The code path does not enforce an allowed_classes filter or use a safe data format such as JSON. Because the endpoint is reachable without authentication, any anonymous client can submit crafted serialized payloads.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker sends an HTTP request containing a serialized PHP object to a theme endpoint or parameter that performs deserialization. The crafted payload references PHP classes available in the WordPress runtime to drive an exploit chain. Public WordPress POP chains commonly enable arbitrary file write, file deletion, or remote code execution. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for further technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-69108

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP request bodies or query parameters containing serialized PHP markers such as O: followed by a class name and length, or a: indicating arrays
Unexpected PHP files appearing under wp-content/themes/hot-coffee/ or wp-content/uploads/
New or modified administrator accounts created shortly after suspicious requests to theme endpoints
Outbound network connections from the web server process to unfamiliar hosts following theme requests

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server and WordPress access logs for requests targeting Hot Coffee theme paths that include serialized object signatures
Deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules that flag unserialize()-style payload patterns on theme endpoints
Run file integrity monitoring across WordPress core, theme, and plugin directories to detect unauthorized changes

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward WordPress, PHP-FPM, and web server logs to a centralized analytics platform and alert on serialized payload patterns
Monitor for new scheduled tasks, cron entries, and PHP processes spawning shell commands from the web server user
Track theme and plugin inventory across managed sites to identify hosts still running Hot Coffee <= 1.7

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-69108

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress instances using the Hot Coffee theme and confirm the installed version
Upgrade Hot Coffee to a fixed release once the vendor publishes a patched version above 1.7
If no patch is yet available, deactivate and remove the Hot Coffee theme from production sites
Rotate WordPress administrator credentials and API keys on any site suspected of exploitation

Patch Information

No fixed version is referenced in the available NVD data at the time of publication. Administrators should review the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for vendor updates and apply the latest theme release as soon as it is published.

Workarounds

Remove or disable the Hot Coffee theme until a vendor-supplied fix is installed
Deploy a WAF rule that blocks HTTP parameters containing PHP serialized object patterns directed at theme endpoints
Restrict access to the WordPress site by IP address or authentication while remediation is in progress

bash

# Configuration example
# Example ModSecurity rule to block serialized PHP object patterns in requests
SecRule ARGS|REQUEST_BODY "@rx (?:^|[&=])(?:O|a|s):\d+:\"" \
    "id:1009108,phase:2,deny,status:403,log,\
    msg:'Possible PHP Object Injection payload (CVE-2025-69108)'"