CVE-2025-49353
📋 TL;DR
This CSRF vulnerability in the WordPress Noindex by Path plugin allows attackers to trick authenticated administrators into performing unintended actions, which can lead to stored cross-site scripting (XSS). It affects all WordPress sites using Noindex by Path plugin versions up to 1.0. The vulnerability requires an authenticated admin user to be tricked into clicking a malicious link.
💻 Affected Systems
- WordPress Noindex by Path 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 inject malicious JavaScript that executes in admin sessions, potentially leading to complete site takeover, data theft, or malware distribution to visitors.
Likely Case
Attackers create malicious admin settings changes or inject basic XSS payloads that affect site visitors or other users.
If Mitigated
With proper CSRF protections and admin awareness, exploitation attempts fail or have minimal impact.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires social engineering to trick authenticated admin users. No authentication bypass needed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.0.1 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Noindex by Path' and click 'Update Now' if available. 4. If no update appears, download version 1.0.1+ from WordPress.org and manually update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patched.
wp plugin deactivate noindex-by-path
Implement CSRF Protection
allAdd WordPress nonce verification to plugin forms if custom patching is possible.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict admin access to trusted networks only
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block CSRF attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin > Plugins > Noindex by Path. If version is 1.0 or earlier, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get noindex-by-path --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify plugin version is 1.0.1 or later in WordPress admin plugins page.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST requests to wp-admin/admin.php?page=noindex-by-path
- Multiple failed CSRF token validations
Network Indicators:
- Suspicious referrer headers in admin requests
- Unexpected cross-origin requests to plugin endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress" AND (uri_path="/wp-admin/admin.php" AND query_string="page=noindex-by-path")