CVE-2025-7822 Overview
CVE-2025-7822 affects the WP Wallcreeper plugin for WordPress. The plugin fails to enforce a capability check on the admin_notices hook in all versions up to and including 1.6.1. Authenticated users with Subscriber-level access or higher can toggle the plugin's caching functionality without authorization. The flaw is categorized as Missing Authorization [CWE-862] and stems from an absent permission validation step before executing privileged actions.
Critical Impact
Authenticated subscribers can enable or disable site caching, altering site performance and behavior without administrative approval.
Affected Products
- WP Wallcreeper plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.6.1
- WordPress installations running WP Wallcreeper with Subscriber-or-higher user registration enabled
- Any site relying on WP Wallcreeper cache state for content delivery
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-24 - CVE-2025-7822 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-7822
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in the WP Wallcreeper plugin's handler attached to the WordPress admin_notices hook. The handler processes requests that toggle cache state but does not verify that the requesting user holds the necessary capability. Because the admin_notices hook fires for any authenticated user visiting an admin page, users with only Subscriber privileges reach the vulnerable code path. The result is an authenticated authorization bypass limited to caching controls, producing an integrity impact without affecting confidentiality or availability directly.
Root Cause
The underlying defect is a Missing Authorization weakness [CWE-862]. The plugin's callback registered on admin_notices executes state-changing logic based on request parameters without a call to current_user_can() or an equivalent capability check. The absence of a nonce verification compounds the issue by removing a secondary control that could otherwise limit forged requests. The vulnerable logic is visible in the plugin source referenced in the WordPress plugin trac for WP Wallcreeper.
Attack Vector
An attacker must first hold a valid Subscriber account on the target WordPress site, which is trivial on sites that allow open registration. The attacker then issues an HTTP request to an admin endpoint that triggers the admin_notices hook with parameters that enable or disable caching. The plugin executes the toggle without checking whether the user has administrative rights. Repeated toggling can degrade site performance, invalidate cached responses, or interfere with expected content delivery. See the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for additional context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-7822
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to WP Wallcreeper cache configuration state recorded in plugin options or wp_options entries
- HTTP requests to WordPress admin pages containing WP Wallcreeper cache-toggle parameters originating from Subscriber-level accounts
- Sudden fluctuations in cache hit or miss rates that do not correspond to administrator activity
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress audit logs for cache-toggle actions performed by users below Editor or Administrator role
- Correlate admin-ajax.php and admin page requests with the requesting user's role to identify privilege-inconsistent actions
- Alert on modifications to WP Wallcreeper option keys performed outside expected administrator sessions
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable a WordPress activity logging plugin that records option changes and per-user request paths
- Forward web server access logs to a centralized log platform and query for Subscriber accounts hitting admin endpoints
- Track the WP Wallcreeper plugin version across sites to identify installations still running 1.6.1 or earlier
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-7822
Immediate Actions Required
- Update WP Wallcreeper to a version later than 1.6.1 once the maintainer publishes a fixed release
- Restrict new user registration or set the default role to a level that limits access to authenticated site areas
- Audit existing Subscriber accounts and remove or disable any that are inactive or unrecognized
Patch Information
No fixed version is listed in the referenced advisories at the time of publication. Monitor the WordPress plugin trac for WP Wallcreeper and the Wordfence Vulnerability Report for the vendor's remediated release and apply it as soon as it becomes available.
Workarounds
- Deactivate the WP Wallcreeper plugin until a patched version is released if caching can be handled by an alternative solution
- Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block requests to WP Wallcreeper cache-toggle parameters from users below Administrator role
- Disable public user registration on affected WordPress sites to reduce the pool of accounts capable of exploiting the flaw
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
