CVE-2025-5733 in Modern Events Calendar Lite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/06/2025
The Modern Events Calendar Lite plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Full Path Disclosure in all versions up to, and including, 7.21.9. This is due improper or insufficient validation of the id property when exporting calendars. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to retrieve the full path of the web application, which can be used to aid other attacks. The information displayed is not useful on its own, and requires another vulnerability to be present for damage to an affected website.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-5733 affects the Modern Events Calendar Lite plugin for WordPress, representing a Full Path Disclosure (FPD) weakness that exists in all versions up to and including 7.21.9. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-209, which specifically addresses the disclosure of system information that could aid attackers in subsequent exploitation attempts. The flaw manifests when the plugin processes the id property during calendar export operations, where inadequate input validation or sanitization permits attackers to extract sensitive path information from the web application environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the plugin's export functionality where the id parameter is not properly validated or sanitized before being processed. When an attacker sends a crafted request containing a malicious id value, the system reveals the complete file path structure of the WordPress installation, including the absolute path to the plugin directory and potentially the web root. This occurs because the plugin fails to implement proper input validation mechanisms that would normally filter or reject malformed parameters before they are processed. The vulnerability is classified as a passive information disclosure issue that does not directly compromise system integrity but provides crucial reconnaissance data for attackers planning more sophisticated attacks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for affected WordPress installations as it provides attackers with detailed system path information that can be leveraged in conjunction with other exploits. The disclosed information includes the full directory structure of the web server, which can reveal the document root, plugin locations, and potentially sensitive file paths that could be used to craft targeted attacks. While the FPD vulnerability alone does not provide direct access to system resources or data, it serves as a critical reconnaissance tool that enables attackers to better understand the target environment and plan more effective exploitation strategies. The vulnerability affects unauthenticated attackers, meaning any visitor to the website could potentially exploit this weakness without requiring credentials or prior access.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate attention from WordPress site administrators who must upgrade to a patched version of the Modern Events Calendar Lite plugin. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation practices and follows ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) which emphasizes how attackers use information gathering techniques to understand target environments. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management processes that include regular monitoring of plugin repositories and security advisories from WordPress.org and other trusted sources. Additionally, network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense by monitoring for unusual parameter patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the need for security awareness training for developers to ensure proper implementation of input validation and sanitization techniques that prevent such information disclosure issues from occurring in the first place.