CVE-2025-7401 in Premium Age Verification Restriction Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/11/2025
The Premium Age Verification / Restriction for WordPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file read and write due to the existence of an insufficiently protected remote support functionality in remote_tunnel.php in all versions up to, and including, 3.0.2. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read from or write to arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make the exposure of sensitive information or remote code execution possible.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-7401 affects the Premium Age Verification / Restriction for WordPress plugin, a widely used security tool designed to restrict access to content based on age verification. This plugin operates within the WordPress ecosystem and provides functionality to control user access to specific content or pages. The vulnerability stems from a critical flaw in the remote_tunnel.php file, which contains a remote support mechanism that lacks proper authentication and authorization controls. This flaw exists in all versions up to and including 3.0.2, making a substantial portion of WordPress installations potentially vulnerable to exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability lies in the insufficiently protected remote support functionality that allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate file operations on the affected WordPress server. The flaw enables attackers to perform arbitrary file read and write operations through the compromised remote tunnel mechanism. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and CWE-22, which covers improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. The attack vector exploits the lack of proper authentication checks in the remote support functionality, allowing malicious actors to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized system-level file operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, potentially leading to complete system compromise. An attacker with access to the remote support functionality can read sensitive files such as wp-config.php, which contains database credentials and security keys, or access other critical system files that may contain user data, configuration information, or application secrets. The write capability allows for arbitrary file modification or creation, which could result in the installation of backdoors, modification of core WordPress files, or injection of malicious code. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which describes valid accounts, and T1566.001, which covers spearphishing via email, as the remote support functionality could be exploited through various attack vectors. The potential for remote code execution through file manipulation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous for WordPress installations that rely on this plugin for content restriction.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-7401 require immediate action to protect affected systems. The primary recommendation is to update the Premium Age Verification / Restriction plugin to the latest available version, which should contain patches addressing the insufficient protection of the remote support functionality. Organizations should also implement network-level controls to restrict access to the remote_tunnel.php endpoint, particularly if the remote support feature is not actively needed. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file access patterns or modifications that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and authentication mechanisms for all remote support features is crucial. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security audits and the need for developers to implement robust authentication and authorization controls in all remote management features, as outlined in OWASP Top Ten 2021 category A07: Identification and Authentication Failures. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.