Overview
This post aims to shed light on a recently discovered vulnerability, CVE-2025-8418, that affects the B Slider- Gutenberg Slider Block for WP plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it opens up the potential for authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on the server. It affects all versions up to and including 1.1.30 of the plugin and is due to missing capability checks on the activated_plugin function. This vulnerability is notable due to its high severity, as indicated by its CVSS Severity Score of 8.8, and the wide usage of the WordPress platform, which amplifies the potential impact.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-8418
Severity: High (8.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low (Subscriber level access)
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
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Product | Affected Versions
B Slider- Gutenberg Slider Block for WP | Up to and including 1.1.30
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability CVE-2025-8418 works by exploiting the lack of capability checks on the plugin’s activated_plugin function. This allows an authenticated attacker with at least subscriber-level access to install arbitrary plugins on the server. The installed plugins can contain malicious code that, when executed, can compromise the system or lead to data leakage. This makes remote code execution possible, thereby putting the server at a high risk.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how this vulnerability might be exploited. Please note that this is a simplified example for illustrative purposes and real-world attacks would likely be more complex.
POST /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{
"action": "bsg_install_plugin",
"plugin_slug": "arbitrary-plugin",
"nonce": "..."
}In this example, the attacker sends a POST request to the admin-ajax.php file, which is the endpoint that handles AJAX requests in WordPress. The action parameter is set to bsg_install_plugin, which is the function that the B Slider- Gutenberg Slider Block for WP plugin uses to install plugins. The attacker specifies the slug of an arbitrary plugin they wish to install in the plugin_slug parameter.
This would install the specified plugin on the server, thus enabling the attacker to execute arbitrary code if the installed plugin contained such code.
Mitigation Guidance
To mitigate this vulnerability, it is recommended to apply the vendor patch once it is available. If a patch is not available, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation. These systems can be configured to block or alert on attempts to exploit this vulnerability, reducing the risk of a successful attack. Regularly updating your software and maintaining good security practices can also help protect your systems from similar vulnerabilities in the future.