CVE-2025-9374 in Ultimate Tag Warrior Importer Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/29/2025
The Ultimate Tag Warrior Importer plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in all versions up to, and including, 0.2. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on a function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to import tags granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/29/2025
The Ultimate Tag Warrior Importer plugin for WordPress represents a significant security vulnerability classified as CVE-2025-9374, affecting all versions up to and including 0.2. This vulnerability manifests as a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) flaw that fundamentally compromises the integrity of WordPress site administration. The plugin's failure to implement proper nonce validation creates an exploitable condition that allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate the tag import functionality without proper authorization. This represents a critical weakness in the plugin's security architecture, as it directly undermines the principle of least privilege and proper access controls that should govern administrative operations within WordPress environments.
The technical flaw stems from the absence of proper nonce validation mechanisms within the plugin's import function, specifically failing to validate the authenticity of requests originating from the WordPress admin interface. According to CWE-352, this vulnerability directly maps to Cross-Site Request Forgery, where the attacker can leverage the trust relationship between a victim user and the web application. The vulnerability operates under the assumption that an attacker can successfully trick a site administrator into executing malicious requests through social engineering tactics such as clicking on malicious links or visiting compromised websites. This exploitation vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which describes social engineering methods used to gain initial access or execute malicious commands through user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized tag imports, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for further compromise of WordPress installations. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to manipulate tag hierarchies, potentially affecting SEO rankings, content organization, and user experience. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal user interaction from the administrator, relying primarily on social engineering rather than sophisticated attack techniques. This makes it highly prevalent in real-world scenarios where administrators may inadvertently click on malicious links or be tricked into performing unintended actions. The consequences could range from content manipulation and information disclosure to potential privilege escalation if the plugin's functionality extends beyond simple tag import operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-9374 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that implement proper nonce validation and CSRF protection mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious import requests. Security awareness training for administrators becomes crucial in preventing successful social engineering attacks that exploit this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring for unusual import activities can help detect potential exploitation attempts. According to industry best practices, all WordPress plugins should validate nonces for any administrative actions, and this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of following WordPress security guidelines and maintaining up-to-date software versions. The remediation process should also include thorough security audits of all installed plugins to identify similar CSRF vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of the WordPress ecosystem.