CVE-2025-1667 in School Management System Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/15/2025
The School Management System – WPSchoolPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation due to a missing capability check on the wpsp_UpdateTeacher() function in all versions up to, and including, 2.2.16. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with teacher-level access and above, to update arbitrary user details including email which makes it possible to request a password reset and access arbitrary user accounts, including administrators.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-1667 affects the School Management System plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting the WPSchoolPress component that has been widely adopted in educational institutions for managing school operations. This plugin serves as a critical infrastructure element for academic management, handling sensitive user data including student records, teacher information, and administrative details. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this system for their digital operations.
The technical flaw manifests in the wpsp_UpdateTeacher() function which lacks proper capability verification before executing user modification operations. This function, designed to update teacher information within the system, operates without validating whether the authenticated user possesses the necessary permissions to perform such actions. According to CWE-284, this represents an inadequate access control implementation where the system fails to properly enforce authorization checks. The absence of capability validation creates a direct path for privilege escalation, allowing attackers with teacher-level privileges to manipulate user accounts beyond their intended scope.
Authenticated attackers exploiting this vulnerability can leverage their existing access to perform unauthorized modifications across user accounts, with particular emphasis on email address changes that enable password reset requests. This capability fundamentally undermines the system's user management security model and creates a vector for lateral movement within the organization's user base. The vulnerability particularly affects the principle of least privilege as defined by security frameworks, where users should only possess the minimum permissions necessary for their roles. Attackers can use this flaw to escalate their privileges and gain access to administrator accounts, effectively compromising the entire system's integrity and confidentiality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification, as it enables attackers to potentially gain complete administrative control over the school management system. This represents a critical security breach that could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive educational data, manipulation of student records, and disruption of academic operations. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal prerequisites, as it only necessitates an authenticated account with teacher-level permissions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have access to the system. Organizations may face regulatory compliance issues and potential legal consequences due to unauthorized data access and modification.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate plugin updates to versions that address the capability check deficiency, while implementing additional security controls such as role-based access restrictions and enhanced monitoring of user account modifications. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of user permissions and establish automated alerting mechanisms for unauthorized account changes. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in other components of their educational technology infrastructure.