CVE-2025-3919 in Comments Import & Export Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/03/2025
The WordPress Comments Import & Export plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the save_settings function in all versions up to, and including, 2.4.3. Additionally, the plugin fails to properly sanitize and escape FTP settings parameters. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts on the plugin settings page that will execute whenever an administrative user accesses an injected page. The vulnerability was partially fixed in version 2.4.3 and fully fixed in version 2.4.4
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2025
The WordPress Comments Import & Export plugin presents a critical security vulnerability that undermines the integrity of administrative settings through insufficient access controls and improper input sanitization. This vulnerability affects all plugin versions up to and including 2.4.3, creating a persistent risk for WordPress installations that rely on this functionality for managing comment data. The flaw manifests through two primary vectors that together create a pathway for unauthorized data manipulation and potential code execution within the administrative environment.
The core technical flaw resides in the save_settings function which lacks proper capability checks, allowing authenticated users with Subscriber-level privileges or higher to modify plugin configurations without appropriate authorization. This missing capability verification represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability that aligns with CWE-285, which addresses insufficient authorization controls in software systems. The vulnerability enables attackers to inject malicious web scripts directly into the plugin's settings page through FTP configuration parameters, creating a persistent backdoor that executes whenever administrative users access the affected interface. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the modification of application configuration settings to gain deeper system access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification, as it creates conditions for persistent code execution within the administrative context. When administrative users navigate to pages containing the injected scripts, the malicious code executes in their browser context, potentially enabling session hijacking, data exfiltration, or further exploitation of the WordPress installation. The improper sanitization and escaping of FTP settings parameters directly enables cross-site scripting attacks that can be leveraged to compromise the administrative interface. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal privileges to exploit, making it accessible to users who should not have the ability to modify core plugin configurations.
The remediation process demonstrates a two-phase fix approach where version 2.4.3 provided partial protection but did not fully address all vectors of exploitation. The complete fix implemented in version 2.4.4 resolves both the capability check deficiency and the input sanitization issues, restoring proper access controls and ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are properly escaped and validated. Organizations should immediately upgrade to version 2.4.4 or later to eliminate this vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation by attackers who may have already gained Subscriber-level access to their WordPress installations. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unauthorized configuration changes to plugin settings and unusual administrative access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.
This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of implementing proper access controls and input validation in WordPress plugins, particularly those handling sensitive configuration data. The attack vector demonstrates how seemingly minor security oversights in plugin development can create significant risks for entire WordPress installations. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security audits of their installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure that all administrative functions properly verify user capabilities before processing sensitive operations. The remediation process also underscores the necessity of maintaining current plugin versions and implementing robust security monitoring to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts.