CVE-2025-3065: Arbitrary File Deletion Vulnerability in Database Toolset Plugin

Overview

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system has identified yet another serious security flaw in a widely-used tool. The Database Toolset plugin, used in a variety of server-side applications, has been found to be susceptible to an arbitrary file deletion vulnerability. This is of significant concern because an unauthenticated attacker could potentially delete critical files on the server, leading to remote code execution. Given the popularity of this plugin, the vulnerability could affect a large number of systems and applications, posing a considerable risk to their security and the integrity of their data.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-3065
Severity: Critical (9.1)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

Database Toolset Plugin | Up to and including 1.8.4

How the Exploit Works

The vulnerability arises from insufficient file path validation within a certain function of the Database Toolset plugin. This oversight allows an attacker to send a specially crafted request to the server that can delete arbitrary files. Key files, such as ‘wp-config.php’, can be targeted for deletion, which, if successful, can lead to remote code execution. This can be achieved without any authentication or user interaction, making it a highly dangerous vulnerability.

Conceptual Example Code

Here is a conceptual HTTP request that an attacker might use to exploit the vulnerability:

DELETE /path/to/vulnerable/function HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{ "file_path": "/absolute/path/to/wp-config.php" }

In this example, the ‘DELETE’ HTTP method is used to request the deletion of the ‘wp-config.php’ file. The absolute path to the file is specified in the ‘file_path’ parameter of the JSON payload. If the server processes this request, the specified file could be deleted, potentially leading to remote code execution.

Mitigation Guidance

To mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability, users are advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as it is available. In the meantime, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation. These tools can help detect and prevent attempts to exploit the vulnerability. However, they are not a permanent solution, so it is important to apply the vendor patch as soon as it is available.