Overview
In this blog post, we will discuss the recently identified CVE-2025-8218 vulnerability that exists in Real Spaces – WordPress Properties Directory Theme for WordPress. This flaw presents a highly critical issue as it allows an unauthenticated user to escalate their privileges, potentially gaining Administrator access, through a profile update. This vulnerability is not only a significant threat to the website’s integrity but can also lead to potential system compromise or data leakage, posing a considerable risk to any organization or individual using this theme.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-8218
Severity: High (8.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Real Spaces – WordPress Properties Directory Theme | All versions up to, and including, 3.5
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability lies in the ‘change_role_member’ parameter of the theme. During a profile update, there is no restriction in the role selection, allowing an unauthenticated user to choose their role, including the Administrator role. This escalates their privileges, giving them access to sensitive data and control over the site.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a simplified, conceptual example of how an attacker might exploit this vulnerability using a HTTP POST request:
POST /profile-update HTTP/1.1
Host: vulnerablewebsite.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
username=attacker&password=attackerpass&change_role_member=administratorIn this example, the attacker sends a profile update request, setting the ‘change_role_member’ parameter to ‘administrator’. This request, if successful, would escalate their privileges to that of an administrator, giving them control over the website.
Mitigation and Recommendations
The most effective mitigation strategy for this vulnerability is to apply the vendor-provided patch. However, if this is not feasible for your organization, implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as a temporary mitigation strategy.
In addition to these steps, it is recommended to regularly update all software and themes to their latest versions to protect against known vulnerabilities. Also, limiting the privileges of users and regularly monitoring user activities can help in early detection and prevention of such attacks.