Overview
A high-severity vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-13536, has been discovered in the Blubrry PowerPress plugin for WordPress. This flaw allows authenticated attackers with Contributor-level access or higher to upload arbitrary files to the server, potentially leading to remote code execution. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 11.15.2.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from insufficient file type validation within the ‘powerpress_edit_post’ function. While the plugin attempts to validate file extensions, it fails to halt execution when validation fails. This allows attackers to bypass security checks and upload malicious files. Specifically, the issue lies within the file upload handling logic, where the code doesn’t properly prevent the upload of unauthorized file types even after an initial check. This insufficient validation opens a door for attackers to upload executable files, potentially compromising the entire WordPress installation.
CVSS Analysis
This vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS score of 8.8 (HIGH). This score reflects the potential impact of successful exploitation, which could lead to complete system compromise.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could have severe consequences, including:
- Remote Code Execution (RCE): Attackers could execute arbitrary code on the server, gaining complete control of the website.
- Website Defacement: Attackers could modify the website’s content, damaging its reputation.
- Data Theft: Attackers could steal sensitive data, such as user credentials and financial information.
- Malware Distribution: Attackers could use the compromised website to distribute malware to visitors.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
The recommended solution is to update the Blubrry PowerPress plugin to the latest version. Blubrry has released a patch that addresses this vulnerability. Follow these steps to mitigate the risk:
- Log in to your WordPress administration dashboard.
- Navigate to the “Plugins” section.
- Locate the “Blubrry PowerPress” plugin.
- Click the “Update Now” button to update to the latest version. If an update isn’t readily available, check the WordPress plugin repository directly for the newest release.
- After updating, verify that the plugin version is higher than 11.15.2.
If you cannot update immediately, consider temporarily disabling the plugin until you can apply the patch. Additionally, review user roles and permissions, ensuring that only trusted users have Contributor-level access or higher.
References
- WordPress.org Plugin Repository: Blubrry PowerPress
- CVE Details: CVE-2025-13536
- Wordfence Threat Intelligence: Wordfence Analysis of CVE-2025-13536
- PowerPress Admin File (Older Version): powerpressadmin.php (Line 2368)
- PowerPress Admin File (Older Version): powerpressadmin.php (Line 3012)
- PowerPress Admin File (Older Version): powerpressadmin.php (Line 3068)
- PowerPress Changeset: Changeset 3402635
