CVE-2025-69382: Themesflat Elementor Object Injection Flaw

CVE-2025-69382 Overview

CVE-2025-69382 is a critical Insecure Deserialization vulnerability affecting the Themesflat Elementor WordPress plugin (themesflat-elementor). The vulnerability allows attackers to inject arbitrary PHP objects through deserialization of untrusted data, potentially leading to remote code execution, unauthorized data access, or complete site compromise.

Critical Impact

This PHP Object Injection vulnerability enables unauthenticated attackers to exploit insecure deserialization, potentially achieving remote code execution on vulnerable WordPress installations running Themesflat Elementor versions 1.0.1 and below.

Affected Products

• Themesflat Elementor WordPress Plugin versions up to and including 1.0.1
• WordPress installations with vulnerable plugin versions active

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-20 - CVE CVE-2025-69382 published to NVD
• 2026-02-24 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-69382

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data). The Themesflat Elementor plugin fails to properly validate or sanitize serialized data before deserializing it, enabling PHP Object Injection attacks.

In PHP Object Injection vulnerabilities, attackers can craft malicious serialized objects that, when deserialized by the vulnerable application, trigger dangerous operations through magic methods such as __wakeup(), __destruct(), or __toString(). When combined with existing "gadget chains" present in WordPress core or other installed plugins, this can lead to arbitrary code execution.

The network-accessible attack vector with no authentication requirements makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous, as any remote attacker can potentially exploit it without prior access to the WordPress installation.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the improper handling of serialized data within the Themesflat Elementor plugin. The plugin accepts and deserializes user-controlled input without adequate validation, allowing attackers to inject malicious PHP objects. This occurs when the unserialize() function is called on untrusted input without proper sanitization or object class whitelisting.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and does not require authentication. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted serialized PHP objects to the vulnerable endpoint. When the plugin deserializes this malicious input, it instantiates attacker-controlled objects that can execute arbitrary code or perform other malicious operations.

The exploitation typically involves:

1. Identifying the vulnerable deserialization point in the plugin
2. Crafting a malicious serialized payload containing exploitable gadget chains
3. Sending the payload to the vulnerable WordPress installation
4. The plugin deserializes the payload, triggering the malicious object's magic methods
5. Arbitrary code execution or other malicious operations occur on the server

For detailed technical information about this vulnerability, refer to the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-69382

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual PHP serialized data in HTTP request parameters or POST body data containing class instantiation patterns
• Unexpected file creation or modification in the WordPress installation directory
• Anomalous outbound network connections from the web server
• Presence of web shells or backdoor files in plugin or theme directories

Detection Strategies

• Monitor web application logs for requests containing serialized PHP data (look for patterns like O:, a:, or base64-encoded serialized strings)
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block PHP object injection attempts
• Review server logs for unexpected process execution or file system changes originating from the web server process
• Utilize WordPress security plugins that can detect known vulnerability exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for the WordPress installation including request bodies
• Implement file integrity monitoring on WordPress core files, plugins, and themes directories
• Monitor for new user account creation, especially administrator accounts
• Set up alerts for unusual database queries or modifications to sensitive tables like wp_users or wp_options

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-69382

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Themesflat Elementor plugin to a patched version as soon as one becomes available
• If no patch is available, consider temporarily deactivating the Themesflat Elementor plugin until a fix is released
• Implement WAF rules to block PHP object injection attacks
• Review server logs for any signs of prior exploitation
• Conduct a security audit of the WordPress installation for signs of compromise

Patch Information

The vulnerability affects Themesflat Elementor versions from the initial release through version 1.0.1. Users should monitor the WordPress plugin repository and the vendor's communications for security updates. Check the Patchstack WordPress Vulnerability Advisory for the latest patch status and update instructions.

Workarounds

• Temporarily deactivate the Themesflat Elementor plugin if it is not critical to site functionality
• Implement server-level input filtering to block serialized PHP data in requests to the plugin's endpoints
• Use a Web Application Firewall with rules specific to PHP object injection prevention
• Restrict access to WordPress admin and plugin areas using IP whitelisting where feasible
• Enable PHP's allowed_classes parameter in unserialize() calls at the server level if possible

# Example .htaccess rules to restrict access to plugin directory
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteRule ^wp-content/plugins/themesflat-elementor/.*$ - [F,L]
</IfModule>