Overview
The cybersecurity world is once again on high alert with the recent discovery of a critical vulnerability in the Spirit Framework plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability, designated as CVE-2025-6388, affects all versions of the plugin up to, and including, version 1.2.14. As WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems globally, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to many websites, potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage.
The gravity of this vulnerability stems from its potential to bypass authentication, allowing malicious actors to log in as any user, including administrators, as long as they have access to the administrator’s username. This could directly lead to a total system compromise, making it a vulnerability that cannot be ignored.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-6388
Severity: Critical (9.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise or data leakage due to authentication bypass
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Spirit Framework WordPress Plugin | Up to and including 1.2.14
How the Exploit Works
The CVE-2025-6388 exploit takes advantage of an oversight in the custom_actions() function of the Spirit Framework WordPress plugin. This function, designed to authenticate users, fails to appropriately validate a user’s identity before granting them access. As a result, an unauthenticated attacker who knows an admin’s username can bypass the authentication system and gain access to the site with administrative privileges.
Conceptual Example Code
To understand how this exploit might work, consider the following conceptual example. This is a simplified representation of how an HTTP request to the vulnerable endpoint might look like:
POST /wp-login.php HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
log=admin&pwd='' OR '1'='1'&wp-submit=Log+InIn this example, the attacker is attempting to log in as the “admin” user without knowing the password. The ‘pwd’ parameter in the POST request is set to a SQL injection payload that renders the password check useless, thereby bypassing the authentication.
Mitigation Guidance
Until a patch is released by the vendor, website administrators can use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to mitigate the risk of exploitation. Once the patch becomes available, it should be applied immediately to prevent potential system compromise or data leakage. Regularly updating your WordPress plugins and themes will also help protect your site from similar vulnerabilities in the future.
