CVE-2025-26763 in Responsive Slider Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/22/2025
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in MetaSlider Responsive Slider by MetaSlider allows Object Injection. This issue affects Responsive Slider by MetaSlider: from n/a through 3.94.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2025
The CVE-2025-26763 vulnerability represents a critical deserialization flaw in the MetaSlider Responsive Slider plugin for WordPress, specifically impacting versions ranging from an unknown initial state through version 3.94.0. This vulnerability falls under the category of insecure deserialization, a well-documented weakness that occurs when applications deserialize untrusted data without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw enables attackers to inject malicious objects during the deserialization process, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or other severe security consequences. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects a widely used WordPress plugin that handles slider functionality across numerous websites, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to compromise WordPress installations. The issue stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate or sanitize data received from user inputs or external sources before processing it through the deserialization mechanism.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the MetaSlider plugin processes serialized data structures that are intended to contain slider configurations or user preferences. When an attacker can manipulate the serialized data, they can inject malicious objects that will be deserialized by the application. This process typically involves creating a specially crafted serialized object that, when processed by the vulnerable plugin, executes unintended code or performs unauthorized actions. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-502 under the Common Weakness Enumeration, which specifically addresses deserialization of untrusted data. The flaw allows for object injection attacks that can leverage the plugin's deserialization capabilities to execute malicious payloads within the context of the WordPress application. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious serialized data that, when loaded by the plugin, triggers the execution of arbitrary code on the target system.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-26763 extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access, as it represents a potential path to complete system compromise. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable WordPress installations, potentially leading to full system control, data exfiltration, or the establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects not only individual websites but also poses risks to entire WordPress networks or hosting environments where multiple installations use the affected plugin. Given that MetaSlider is a popular plugin, the potential attack surface is extensive, with numerous websites likely to be impacted. The vulnerability's exploitation can occur through various vectors including direct input manipulation, file upload attacks, or even through compromised third-party integrations that interact with the plugin's deserialization functions. Organizations using vulnerable versions of the plugin face significant risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential regulatory compliance violations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-26763 should prioritize immediate remediation through plugin updates to versions that address the deserialization vulnerability. System administrators must conduct thorough inventory checks to identify all affected WordPress installations and ensure that the MetaSlider plugin is updated to a secure version. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1210 suggests that attackers may leverage this weakness as part of broader exploitation campaigns targeting web applications. Organizations should implement additional defensive measures including input validation, output encoding, and the principle of least privilege when processing serialized data. Network segmentation and intrusion detection systems should monitor for suspicious deserialization patterns or unusual data processing activities. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious serialized data attempts. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins or custom code that may utilize deserialization functions. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to ensure that updates do not introduce compatibility issues or break existing functionality while maintaining the security posture of the WordPress environment.