CVE-2025-13613 in Elated Membership Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/10/2025
The Elated Membership plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass in all versions up to, and including, 1.2. This is due to the plugin not properly logging in a user with the data that was previously verified through the 'eltdf_membership_check_facebook_user' and the 'eltdf_membership_login_user_from_social_network' function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to log in as administrative users, as long as they have an existing account on the site which can easily be created by default through the temp user functionality, and access to the administrative user's email.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-13613 affects the Elated Membership plugin for WordPress, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that compromises the security of affected systems. This vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 1.2 of the plugin, creating a significant risk for WordPress sites that utilize this membership solution. The flaw stems from improper user authentication handling within the plugin's social login functionality, specifically in how it processes user verification and login operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the plugin's core authentication logic where the functions 'eltdf_membership_check_facebook_user' and 'eltdf_membership_login_user_from_social_network' fail to properly validate user credentials before granting access. These functions are designed to verify user identity through social network authentication but do not adequately enforce authentication requirements during the login process. This creates a scenario where malicious actors can exploit the gap in verification procedures to bypass normal authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows unauthenticated attackers to assume administrative privileges on compromised WordPress sites. The attack vector requires only that the attacker possesses an existing user account on the site, which can be easily created through the plugin's default temporary user functionality. Additionally, the attacker must have access to an administrative user's email address, which is often readily available through various reconnaissance techniques. This combination of factors makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it lowers the barrier to exploitation while maximizing the potential damage from successful attacks.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts, as attackers can leverage existing user accounts to gain elevated privileges. The flaw represents a classic case of insufficient session management and authentication control, where the system fails to properly verify user identity before granting access rights. Organizations running affected versions of the Elated Membership plugin face significant risk of complete system compromise, including data theft, unauthorized content modification, and potential use as a foothold for further attacks within their network infrastructure.
The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate patching of the plugin to the latest version that addresses this authentication bypass vulnerability, implementing additional security measures such as two-factor authentication, and conducting thorough security audits of all social login integrations. Administrators should also review and restrict temporary user creation functionality, implement proper access controls, and monitor login activities for suspicious patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security updates and vulnerability assessments remain crucial for maintaining protection against similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities in other WordPress plugins and themes.