CVE-2025-8488 Overview
CVE-2025-8488 is a missing authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in the Ultimate Addons for Elementor plugin for WordPress, formerly known as Elementor Header & Footer Builder. The flaw resides in the save_hfe_compatibility_option_callback() function, which lacks a capability check before persisting configuration changes. All plugin versions up to and including 2.4.6 are affected. Authenticated users with Subscriber-level access or higher can modify the plugin's compatibility option setting without proper authorization.
Critical Impact
Any authenticated WordPress user, including low-privileged Subscribers, can alter the plugin's compatibility option, enabling unauthorized modification of site configuration data.
Affected Products
- Ultimate Addons for Elementor (WordPress plugin) versions ≤ 2.4.6
- Elementor Header & Footer Builder (former name of the same plugin)
- WordPress sites with Subscriber or higher registration enabled
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-08-02 - CVE-2025-8488 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-8488
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability exists in the plugin's admin action handler save_hfe_compatibility_option_callback() defined in admin/class-hfe-addons-actions.php. This AJAX callback processes requests to update the plugin's compatibility option but fails to invoke a WordPress capability check such as current_user_can() before writing the setting. As a result, any authenticated session, including Subscriber accounts created through open registration, can trigger the option update through the plugin's AJAX endpoint.
The fix released in version 2.4.7 adds the missing authorization control at the beginning of the callback, ensuring only privileged administrative users can invoke the setting change. This is a textbook Broken Access Control issue mapped to CWE-862 (Missing Authorization).
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of a capability check inside the save_hfe_compatibility_option_callback() function. WordPress AJAX actions registered via wp_ajax_ are reachable by any authenticated user by default. Developers must explicitly verify both the nonce and the caller's capability. The vulnerable version verifies neither the caller's role nor administrative privilege before persisting the option.
Attack Vector
An attacker first obtains any authenticated WordPress account on the target site. On sites that permit self-registration, this is trivial. The attacker then sends an authenticated POST request to the plugin's AJAX endpoint invoking the compatibility option action with attacker-controlled values. The server persists the change without validating the caller's role. The attack is remote, requires low privileges, and needs no user interaction. Confidentiality is not impacted; integrity of plugin settings is.
See the Wordfence Vulnerability Report and the diff between the vulnerable code in 2.4.6 and the patched code in 2.4.7 for technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-8488
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to the plugin's compatibility option value stored in the WordPress wp_options table.
- POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php invoking the save_hfe_compatibility_option action originating from non-administrator user sessions.
- Subscriber or Contributor accounts issuing requests to plugin administrative AJAX endpoints.
Detection Strategies
- Enable WordPress audit logging to capture option updates and correlate them with the acting user's role.
- Inspect web server access logs for admin-ajax.php traffic containing the save_hfe_compatibility_option action name from low-privileged accounts.
- Compare the installed plugin version against 2.4.7 across WordPress fleets to identify vulnerable instances.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Alert on any modification to plugin option rows performed by users below Administrator role.
- Track spikes in registrations followed by admin-ajax activity, indicating opportunistic exploitation.
- Monitor file integrity of the plugin directory wp-content/plugins/header-footer-elementor/ for unexpected changes.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-8488
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Ultimate Addons for Elementor plugin to version 2.4.7 or later on all WordPress sites.
- Audit existing user accounts and remove untrusted Subscriber or Contributor accounts created during the exposure window.
- Review the plugin's compatibility option value and reset it to the intended configuration if tampering is suspected.
Patch Information
The vendor addressed the vulnerability in Ultimate Addons for Elementor version 2.4.7 by adding a capability check to save_hfe_compatibility_option_callback(). Review the patched source in tag 2.4.7 to confirm the authorization control is present.
Workarounds
- Disable open user registration by unchecking Settings → General → Membership in the WordPress admin.
- Restrict access to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php via a web application firewall rule that blocks the save_hfe_compatibility_option action for non-administrator sessions.
- Deactivate the plugin until the patched version can be deployed if immediate upgrade is not feasible.
# Update the plugin using WP-CLI
wp plugin update header-footer-elementor --version=2.4.7
wp plugin get header-footer-elementor --field=version
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
