CVE-2025-1280 in BM Content Builder Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/22/2026
The BM Content Builder plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in all versions up to 3.17.1 (exclusive) via the ux_cb_page_customize_save_layout_ajax() function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to read the contents of arbitrary files on the server, which can contain sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2026
The BM Content Builder plugin for WordPress contains a critical directory traversal vulnerability affecting all versions prior to 3.17.1. This security flaw is located within the ux_cb_page_customize_save_layout_ajax function, which handles AJAX requests related to page layout customization. The root cause of this issue stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of user-supplied input parameters passed through the AJAX endpoint. Specifically, the application fails to properly restrict file path operations, allowing an attacker to manipulate directory traversal sequences such as dot-dot-slash patterns into the request payload. By injecting these malicious paths, the underlying server-side logic interprets them literally rather than stripping or escaping them, thereby bypassing intended access controls and enabling read access to files outside of the designated web root or plugin directories.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with subscriber-level privileges and above to exfiltrate sensitive information from the WordPress installation. While a lower privilege level like Subscriber is typically considered limited in scope, it still grants sufficient authentication credentials to trigger the vulnerable AJAX function once logged into the site. The ability to read arbitrary files on the server can lead to severe consequences including the exposure of configuration files containing database credentials, API keys, and secret tokens. It may also result in the leakage of source code from other plugins or themes installed on the same WordPress instance, providing attackers with further insights for crafting more sophisticated attacks such as remote code execution or privilege escalation. This scenario aligns directly with CWE-22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory and is categorized under ATT&CK technique T1083 File and Directory Discovery within the context of post-exploitation information gathering on Linux-based systems commonly used for web hosting.
To mitigate this vulnerability, site administrators must immediately update the BM Content Builder plugin to version 3.17.1 or later where the input validation logic has been corrected to strictly enforce allowed directory paths and sanitize all user inputs before processing. In addition to updating the software, it is advisable to implement defense-in-depth strategies such as restricting file permissions on sensitive configuration files like wp-config.php so that they are not readable by web server processes unless absolutely necessary. Furthermore, deploying a Web Application Firewall can help detect and block common directory traversal patterns in HTTP requests before they reach the application layer. Regular security audits and monitoring of access logs for unusual AJAX activity from low-privilege accounts should also be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts early.