CVE-2025-8289 in Redirection for Contact Form 7 Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/20/2025
The Redirection for Contact Form 7 plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 3.2.4 via deserialization of untrusted input in the delete_associated_files function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject a PHP Object. This vulnerability may be exploited by unauthenticated attackers when a form is present on the site with a file upload action, and doesn't affect sites with PHP version > 8. This vulnerability also requires the 'Redirection For Contact Form 7 Extension - Create Post' extension to be installed and activated in order to be exploited. No known POP chain is present in the vulnerable software, which means this vulnerability has no impact unless another plugin or theme containing a POP chain is installed on the site. If a POP chain is present via an additional plugin or theme installed on the target system, it may allow the attacker to perform actions like delete arbitrary files, retrieve sensitive data, or execute code depending on the POP chain present. We confirmed there is a usable gadget in Contact Form 7 plugin that makes arbitrary file deletion possible when installed with this plugin. Given Contact Form 7 is a requirement of this plugin, it is likely that any site with this plugin and the 'Redirection For Contact Form 7 Extension - Create Post' extension enabled is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-8289 affects the Redirection for Contact Form 7 plugin for WordPress, presenting a critical security risk through PHP Object Injection during deserialization of untrusted input. This flaw exists within the delete_associated_files function and impacts all versions up to and including 3.2.4, creating a pathway for unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious PHP objects into the target system. The vulnerability specifically requires the presence of the 'Redirection For Contact Form 7 Extension - Create Post' extension for exploitation to occur, making it a targeted issue rather than a broad system-wide threat. The technical implementation involves improper input validation during the deserialization process, which falls under CWE-502, representing a common class of vulnerabilities where untrusted data is processed without adequate sanitization or validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can enable attackers to perform arbitrary file deletion operations when combined with the Contact Form 7 plugin's existing functionality. This represents a significant risk to system integrity and data availability, particularly in environments where file upload capabilities are present and properly configured. The vulnerability's exploitation requires specific conditions to be met including the presence of the extension plugin and appropriate file upload form configurations, yet the combination creates a dangerous attack surface. The attack vector operates through the manipulation of serialized PHP objects, which when improperly handled during deserialization can lead to remote code execution or data compromise. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments and T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter through PowerShell or PHP.
The requirement for PHP version greater than 8 to avoid exploitation adds complexity to the threat landscape, as it suggests the vulnerability may be mitigated through environmental controls rather than code patches alone. However, the presence of a usable gadget within the Contact Form 7 plugin itself creates a dangerous combination that significantly expands the attack surface. This situation demonstrates how seemingly isolated vulnerabilities can become dangerous when combined with other components within a system, particularly when multiple plugins share common attack vectors or object manipulation patterns. The lack of a known POP (Point of Pivot) chain within the vulnerable software itself means that exploitation relies heavily on the presence of other vulnerable components within the WordPress environment, creating a multi-layered attack scenario. When combined with other plugins or themes that contain POP chains, the vulnerability can potentially enable full system compromise through techniques such as remote code execution or data exfiltration.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate plugin updates to versions that address the deserialization flaw, along with the complete removal of the vulnerable extension plugin when possible. Organizations should implement network-level restrictions to prevent unauthorized access to file upload functionality, while also ensuring that PHP version requirements are properly enforced across their WordPress installations. The implementation of proper input validation and output encoding for all user-supplied data represents a fundamental defense mechanism against this class of vulnerability. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious file operations and object serialization patterns within the WordPress environment, with particular attention to the specific delete_associated_files function. The vulnerability's nature makes it particularly important to conduct thorough security audits of all installed WordPress plugins to identify potential POP chains or other dangerous object manipulation patterns that could be leveraged in combination with this flaw. Regular security assessments should also verify that no other plugins or themes contain vulnerable object serialization implementations that could enable exploitation when combined with this vulnerability.