CVE-2025-9984 in Featured Image from URL FIFU Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/26/2025
The Featured Image from URL (FIFU) plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of data due to a missing capability check on the fifu_api_debug_posts() function in all versions up to, and including, 5.2.7. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read private/password protected posts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2025
The Featured Image from URL plugin for WordPress presents a critical security vulnerability through the absence of proper capability validation within the fifu_api_debug_posts() function. This flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 5.2.7, creating a pathway for unauthorized data access that undermines the fundamental security model of WordPress. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms that should normally prevent unauthenticated users from accessing protected content.
This technical weakness represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and proper authentication checks that are essential for maintaining data confidentiality. The missing capability check allows any attacker to exploit the function without requiring valid credentials or administrative privileges, effectively bypassing WordPress's built-in access control systems. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's debug functionality, which should only be accessible to authorized administrators but is instead exposed to all users regardless of their authentication status.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to extract sensitive information from private and password-protected posts that should remain inaccessible to unauthorized users. This compromise affects the integrity of WordPress's content protection mechanisms and can lead to data leakage of confidential information. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gather detailed information about protected content, potentially including business-sensitive data, personal information, or proprietary content that should remain restricted to authorized personnel.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses insufficient authorization checks, and represents a clear violation of the ATT&CK technique T1213.002 related to data from information repositories. The flaw creates an attack surface that allows for information discovery and extraction activities that would normally be restricted. Organizations using this plugin face significant risk of data breaches and compliance violations, particularly in environments where WordPress serves as a primary content management platform for sensitive information.
The recommended mitigations include immediate plugin updates to versions that address this capability check deficiency, implementation of network-level access controls to restrict access to plugin endpoints, and comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing additional authentication layers and regularly auditing plugin functionality to ensure proper access controls remain in place. Security teams must also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all WordPress plugins to identify similar capability check deficiencies that could expose other system components to unauthorized access.