CVE-2025-49972 in TM Replace Howdy Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/20/2025
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in David Wood TM Replace Howdy allows Cross Site Request Forgery. This issue affects TM Replace Howdy: from n/a through 1.4.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2025
The CVE-2025-49972 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the David Wood TM Replace Howdy WordPress plugin, which has been identified as affecting versions ranging from n/a through 1.4.2. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of web application security weaknesses that can be exploited by malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of user sessions and request validation mechanisms, creating an attack surface that can be leveraged for unauthorized administrative operations.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-forgery token mechanisms within the plugin's administrative interfaces. When users access the plugin's settings or perform administrative actions, the application fails to adequately verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same session context. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, exploiting the trust relationship between the web application and its users. The vulnerability manifests when users are tricked into visiting malicious websites or clicking on compromised links while logged into their WordPress admin panels, enabling attackers to execute unauthorized operations with the privileges of the authenticated user.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to potentially enable complete administrative takeover of affected WordPress installations. Attackers can exploit this weakness to modify plugin settings, potentially disable security features, or perform other administrative tasks that could compromise the entire website. The severity of this issue is amplified by the fact that many WordPress administrators may not be actively monitoring plugin updates, leaving installations vulnerable for extended periods. Additionally, the vulnerability's presence in the "Howdy" replacement functionality suggests it could affect user experience and authentication flows, potentially creating confusion and additional attack vectors for malicious actors. According to CWE-352, this vulnerability maps directly to Cross-Site Request Forgery, which is classified as a critical security weakness requiring immediate remediation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-49972 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the CSRF implementation flaws. System administrators must ensure that all affected installations are updated to the latest available version of the TM Replace Howdy plugin, as this represents the primary defense against the identified vulnerability. Network security controls should include monitoring for suspicious administrative activity and implementing additional authentication layers such as two-factor authentication to reduce the impact of potential exploitation. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566 - Phishing and T1078 - Valid Accounts, highlighting the need for both endpoint protection and user awareness training. Organizations should also implement web application firewalls to detect and block malicious CSRF requests, while conducting thorough security audits to identify any other plugins or components that may share similar vulnerabilities in their WordPress environments.