CVE-2025-12177

Download Manager <= 3.3.30 - Unauthenticated Cron Trigger due to Hardcoded Cron Key

2025-11-07 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 3.3.31
Affected Plugin: Download Manager
Affected Version: <= 3.3.30
CVSS: 5.3Medium
Weakness type: CWE-321 · Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key
CVE: CVE-2025-12177

View all Download Manager vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2025-12177 is a medium-severity Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key vulnerability in the Download Manager WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.3.30. It carries a CVSS score of 5.3 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 3.3.31; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2025, reported by AlexHenry.

Vulnerability Overview

The Download Manager plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access due to a hardcoded Cron key used in the deleteExpired() and clearTempDataCPCron() functions in all versions up to, and including, 3.3.30. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to trigger these cron jobs leading to deletion of expired posts and clearing cache.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no privileges on the target site, and no interaction from a victim user.

CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key

The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key.

Remediation

Update to version 3.3.31, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

This one needs no account at all, which puts it outside what login hardening can reach; WordSec's login security narrows the account-level paths around it, and the firewall is what inspects the request itself. None of that substitutes for the fix: Download Manager 3.3.31 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-12177 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/17d5253c-5000-40c7-a7fd-f75d4badfb5e https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-12177

Related records

Other vulnerabilities in Download Manager

CVSS Vector

5.3

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone

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