Description
The Reveal Listing plugin by smartdatasoft for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation in versions up to, and including, 3.3. This is due to the plugin allowing users who are registering new accounts to set their own role or by supplying 'listing_user_role' field. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to gain elevated privileges by creating an account with the administrator role.
EPSS Score:
0%
Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2025-23782
1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation
The vulnerability in the Reveal Listing plugin by smartdatasoft for WordPress allows unauthenticated users to escalate their privileges during the account registration process. This is a critical issue because it enables attackers to gain administrative access to the WordPress site, potentially leading to full control over the site's content, user data, and configuration.
Severity Evaluation:
- Base Score: 9.8 (Critical)
- Base Score Version: 3.1
- Base Score Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
The CVSS score of 9.8 indicates a high severity due to the following factors:
- Attack Vector (AV:N): Network-based attack, meaning it can be exploited remotely.
- Attack Complexity (AC:L): Low complexity, indicating that the attack does not require specialized conditions.
- Privileges Required (PR:N): No privileges are required, meaning unauthenticated users can exploit this vulnerability.
- User Interaction (UI:N): No user interaction is required.
- Scope (S:U): Unchanged, meaning the vulnerability affects the same security scope.
- Confidentiality (C:H), Integrity (I:H), Availability (A:H): High impact on all three CIA triad components.
2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods
Attack Vectors:
- Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation: An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by creating a new user account and setting the 'listing_user_role' field to 'administrator' during the registration process.
Exploitation Methods:
- Direct Exploitation: The attacker can directly interact with the registration form and manipulate the 'listing_user_role' field to gain administrative privileges.
- Automated Scripts: Attackers can use automated scripts to register multiple accounts with elevated privileges, potentially leading to a large-scale compromise.
3. Affected Systems and Software Versions
Affected Systems:
- WordPress sites using the Reveal Listing plugin by smartdatasoft.
Affected Software Versions:
- Reveal Listing plugin versions up to and including 3.3.
4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies
Immediate Actions:
- Update the Plugin: Ensure that the Reveal Listing plugin is updated to a version higher than 3.3, where the vulnerability has been patched.
- Disable Registrations: Temporarily disable user registrations until the plugin is updated.
- Monitor for Suspicious Activity: Implement monitoring to detect any unusual account creation or privilege escalation attempts.
Long-Term Mitigation:
- Regular Updates: Keep all plugins and WordPress core up to date.
- Access Controls: Implement strict access controls and role-based permissions.
- Security Plugins: Use security plugins like Wordfence to monitor and protect against vulnerabilities.
- User Education: Educate users on the importance of strong passwords and recognizing phishing attempts.
5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape
The vulnerability poses a significant risk to the European cybersecurity landscape, particularly for organizations and individuals using WordPress for their websites. Given the widespread use of WordPress, this vulnerability could lead to:
- Data Breaches: Unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- Website Defacement: Compromise of website content and integrity.
- Reputation Damage: Loss of trust and credibility for affected organizations.
- Compliance Issues: Potential violations of GDPR and other regulatory requirements.
6. Technical Details for Security Professionals
Vulnerability Details:
- CVE ID: CVE-2025-6994
- Vulnerability Type: Privilege Escalation
- Exploit Mechanism: The 'listing_user_role' field in the registration form can be manipulated to set the user role to 'administrator'.
Detection and Response:
- Log Analysis: Review registration logs for any unusual activity, such as multiple account creations with administrative roles.
- Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Implement IDS to detect and alert on suspicious registration activities.
- Incident Response Plan: Develop and maintain an incident response plan to quickly address any detected exploitation attempts.
Patching and Updates:
- Plugin Update: Ensure the Reveal Listing plugin is updated to the latest version.
- WordPress Core: Regularly update the WordPress core to benefit from the latest security patches.
Additional References:
By addressing this vulnerability promptly and implementing robust security measures, organizations can mitigate the risk of unauthorized access and maintain the integrity of their WordPress sites.