CVE-2025-0952
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows authenticated WordPress users with Subscriber-level access or higher to modify critical site options via an AJAX endpoint without proper authorization checks. Attackers can change option values to 'hide', potentially causing site errors that deny service to legitimate users or enabling unwanted features like registration. All WordPress sites using Eco Nature theme versions up to 2.0.4 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Eco Nature - Environment & Ecology WordPress Theme
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete site denial of service by setting critical options to invalid values, rendering the website inaccessible to all users, potentially combined with enabling user registration to create backdoor accounts.
Likely Case
Partial site disruption through targeted option manipulation causing specific functionality errors, potentially combined with enabling registration to gain additional access.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if proper network segmentation, authentication controls, and monitoring are in place to detect and block suspicious AJAX requests.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but only at the lowest WordPress user level (Subscriber). The vulnerability is in a specific AJAX endpoint that lacks capability checks.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version 2.0.5 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://themeforest.net/item/eco-nature-environment-ecology-wordpress-theme/8497776
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Appearance > Themes. 3. Check for theme updates. 4. Update Eco Nature theme to version 2.0.5 or later. 5. Clear any caching plugins or server caches.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable AJAX endpoint
allRemove or block the 'cmsmasters_hide_admin_notice' AJAX action handler
Add to theme's functions.php or custom plugin: remove_action('wp_ajax_cmsmasters_hide_admin_notice', 'cmsmasters_hide_admin_notice_callback');
Add to theme's functions.php or custom plugin: remove_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_cmsmasters_hide_admin_notice', 'cmsmasters_hide_admin_notice_callback');
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user registration and review existing user accounts for suspicious activity
- Implement web application firewall rules to block requests to the vulnerable AJAX endpoint
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel > Appearance > Themes > Eco Nature theme details for version number. If version is 2.0.4 or lower, the site is vulnerable.Check Version:
wp theme list --field=name,version --status=active (if WP-CLI installed) or check Appearance > Themes in WordPress adminVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify theme version shows 2.0.5 or higher in WordPress admin panel. Test authenticated AJAX requests to the endpoint should return proper authorization errors.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action=cmsmasters_hide_admin_notice from non-admin users
- Unexpected changes to WordPress option values in database logs
- Increased error logs related to missing or invalid option values
Network Indicators:
- POST requests to admin-ajax.php with specific action parameter from unexpected user roles
- Unusual option update patterns via AJAX endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND (uri_path="/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" AND post_data="action=cmsmasters_hide_admin_notice") AND user_role!="administrator"