CVE-2025-49072
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a PHP object injection vulnerability in the Mr. Murphy WordPress theme caused by unsafe deserialization of untrusted data. Attackers can exploit this to execute arbitrary code, potentially compromising the entire WordPress site. All WordPress installations using Mr. Murphy theme versions before 1.2.12.1 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- AncoraThemes Mr. Murphy 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 server compromise leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or use as a foothold for lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Remote code execution allowing attackers to deface websites, install backdoors, steal sensitive data, or create administrator accounts.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper web application firewalls and input validation are in place, though the core vulnerability remains.
🎯 Exploit Status
The vulnerability is publicly documented with technical details available. WordPress themes are common targets for automated exploitation.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.2.12.1
Vendor Advisory: https://patchstack.com/database/wordpress/theme/mr-murphy/vulnerability/wordpress-mr-murphy-1-2-12-1-php-object-injection-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Appearance > Themes. 3. Check if Mr. Murphy theme is active. 4. Update the theme to version 1.2.12.1 or later. 5. If update isn't available, switch to a different theme immediately.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Mr. Murphy Theme
allSwitch to a different WordPress theme to remove the vulnerable code from execution.
Web Application Firewall Rules
allImplement WAF rules to block deserialization attempts and suspicious PHP object injection patterns.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Immediately switch to a different WordPress theme and remove Mr. Murphy theme files from the server.
- Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied data in WordPress.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel > Appearance > Themes > Mr. Murphy theme details for version number. If version is below 1.2.12.1, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
Check WordPress admin panel or examine /wp-content/themes/mr-murphy/style.css for Version: headerVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify the theme version shows 1.2.12.1 or higher in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST requests to WordPress theme files
- PHP errors related to unserialize() or object injection
- Unexpected file creation in wp-content directories
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing serialized PHP objects in parameters
- Traffic patterns suggesting automated exploitation tools
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND ("unserialize" OR "__destruct" OR "__wakeup")