CVE-2025-28987
📋 TL;DR
This Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in the PressForward WordPress plugin allows attackers to make unauthorized requests from the server to internal or external systems. It affects all PressForward installations from unspecified versions through 5.9.1. WordPress site administrators using vulnerable PressForward versions are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- PressForward WordPress plugin
⚠️ 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
Attackers could access internal services, exfiltrate sensitive data, or perform port scanning of internal networks from the compromised server.
Likely Case
Attackers could access metadata services (like AWS IMDS), internal APIs, or make requests to external malicious servers with the server's IP.
If Mitigated
With proper network segmentation and egress filtering, impact would be limited to denial-of-service against the server or limited internal access.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires understanding of SSRF techniques and likely some level of access to the WordPress interface.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 5.9.2 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find PressForward and click 'Update Now'. 4. Verify update to version 5.9.2 or later.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable PressForward Plugin
WordPressTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patching is possible.
wp plugin deactivate pressforward
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict egress filtering on the server to block requests to internal IP ranges and metadata services.
- Use web application firewall rules to block suspicious outbound requests from the WordPress application.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel > Plugins > Installed Plugins for PressForward version. If version is 5.9.1 or earlier, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get pressforward --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify PressForward version shows 5.9.2 or later in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual outbound HTTP requests from WordPress server to internal IPs or metadata services
- Multiple failed HTTP requests from WordPress to unusual domains
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests from WordPress server to internal network segments
- Requests to cloud metadata endpoints (169.254.169.254, etc.)
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress_logs" AND (uri CONTAINS "pressforward" OR plugin="pressforward") AND (dest_ip IN private_ranges OR dest_ip=169.254.169.254)