Overview
With the increasing usage of WordPress as a leading CMS, the security of its plugins has become a critical concern. One such plugin, the Service Finder Bookings, has recently been found to harbor a serious vulnerability, labeled as CVE-2025-5947. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated user to bypass authentication and escalate their privileges, posing a significant threat to the security of any WordPress site using the affected plugin versions. The potential implications of this vulnerability are dire, ranging from unauthorized system access to data breaches, underscoring the need for immediate action to mitigate the risk.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-5947
Severity: Critical (CVSS score 9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Service Finder Bookings Plugin for WordPress | Up to and including version 6.0
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability resides in the service_finder_switch_back() function of the Service Finder Bookings plugin. This function is designed to log users in based on the cookie values associated with their session. However, due to a lack of proper validation checks, an attacker can manipulate these cookie values to impersonate any user, including administrators. This allows them to bypass the authentication process entirely and gain unauthorized access to the system.
Conceptual Example Code
A potential exploit could look something like this:
GET /wp-admin/ HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Cookie: service_finder_auth=malicious_cookie_valueIn this example, the attacker sends a GET request to the admin panel with a manipulated cookie value (`malicious_cookie_value`). If the website is running a vulnerable version of the Service Finder Booking plugin, the attacker will be logged in as an admin, gaining full control over the system.
Mitigation Guidance
Users are advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. Until then, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be used as temporary mitigation measures. These tools can help detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts, providing an additional layer of security against potential exploitation of this vulnerability.