Overview
The WPGYM – WordPress Gym Management System plugin is a widely-used plugin that provides gym management functionalities on WordPress. However, a critical vulnerability has been discovered and assigned identifier CVE-2025-3671. This vulnerability, if exploited, allows an attacker to include and execute arbitrary files on the server. It has serious implications for any WordPress site utilizing this plugin, as it can lead to potential system compromise or data leakage. This blog post will delve into the specifics of this vulnerability, the affected products, how the exploit works, and the recommended mitigation strategies.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-3671
Severity: Critical, CVSS score of 8.8
Attack Vector: Local File Inclusion via ‘page’ parameter in WPGYM Plugin
Privileges Required: Subscriber-level Access
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage, privilege escalation
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
WPGYM – WordPress Gym Management System Plugin | Up to and including version 67.7.0
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability exists due to the plugin’s mishandling of the ‘page’ parameter. An authenticated attacker, with at least Subscriber-level access, can manipulate this parameter to include and execute arbitrary PHP files on the server. This can bypass access controls, expose sensitive data, or even execute code if “safe” file types like images are uploaded and included. The attacker can chain this exploit to include various dashboard view files in the plugin. Notably, a researcher has reported that one such file can be exploited to change the password of Super Administrator accounts in Multisite environments, enabling privilege escalation.
Conceptual Example Code
This conceptual example demonstrates how the exploit could be performed. Please note that this is for illustrative purposes only and should not be used maliciously.
POST /wp-content/plugins/wpgym/?page=../../../../wp-config.php HTTP/1.1
Host: targetsite.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Cookie: [Insert Authenticated Session Cookie Here]
action=update&new_password=malicious_passwordIn the example above, the attacker attempts to include the `wp-config.php` file via the ‘page’ parameter. They then try to execute the ‘update’ action to change the password to a value of their choosing.
Mitigation Guidance
Given the severity of this vulnerability, it’s crucial to apply remedial measures promptly. Users should immediately apply the vendor patch once it becomes available. In the meantime, employing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as temporary mitigation. Regularly monitoring system logs for any unusual activity can also help detect potential exploits.