CVE-2025-68509
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes an open redirect vulnerability in the WordPress User Submitted Posts plugin that allows attackers to redirect users to malicious websites. Attackers can craft URLs that appear legitimate but redirect to phishing sites, potentially stealing credentials or delivering malware. All WordPress sites using vulnerable versions of this plugin are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- WordPress User Submitted Posts 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
Users are redirected to sophisticated phishing sites that steal login credentials, financial information, or install malware, leading to account compromise, data theft, and further system infiltration.
Likely Case
Attackers use the vulnerability in phishing campaigns to redirect users to fake login pages or malicious sites, potentially compromising individual user accounts and credentials.
If Mitigated
With proper user education about suspicious URLs and browser security warnings, most users would recognize the redirect and avoid entering sensitive information.
🎯 Exploit Status
Open redirect vulnerabilities are commonly exploited in phishing campaigns and require minimal technical skill to weaponize.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version after 20251121
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'User Submitted Posts' and check for updates. 4. If update is available, click 'Update Now'. 5. Alternatively, download the latest version from WordPress.org and manually update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable plugin temporarily
allDeactivate the User Submitted Posts plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate user-submitted-posts
Implement WAF rules
allAdd web application firewall rules to block redirects to untrusted domains
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict URL validation at the web server or WAF level to block redirects to external domains
- Educate users about phishing risks and how to identify suspicious URLs in emails and messages
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check the plugin version in WordPress admin under Plugins → Installed Plugins. If version is 20251121 or earlier, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get user-submitted-posts --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify the plugin version shows a date later than 20251121. Test redirect functionality with controlled test URLs.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual redirect patterns in web server logs
- Multiple requests to the plugin's vulnerable endpoint with external URLs as parameters
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections to suspicious domains following plugin endpoint access
- HTTP 302 redirects to external domains from the plugin
SIEM Query:
source="web_server.log" AND (url="*user-submitted-posts*" AND url="*redirect*" AND url="*http*" AND NOT url="*yourdomain.com*")