REST API | Custom API Generator For Cross Platform And Import Export In WP 1.0.0 - 2.0.3 - Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation via process_handler Function
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Unpatched
- Affected Version
1.0.0 – 2.0.3- CVSS
- 9.8Critical
- Weakness type
- CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
- CVE
CVE-2025-5288
At a glance
CVE-2025-5288 is a critical-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the REST API WordPress plugin, affecting versions 1.0.0 – 2.0.3. It carries a CVSS score of 9.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. No fixed release has been reported yet; treat installations running this software as exposed. Disclosed June 2025, reported by kr0d.
Vulnerability Overview
The REST API | Custom API Generator For Cross Platform And Import Export In WP plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation due to a missing capability check on the process_handler() function in versions 1.0.0 to 2.0.3. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to POST an arbitrary import_api URL, import specially crafted JSON, and thereby create a new user with full Administrator privileges.
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. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.
CWE-862: Missing Authorization
REST API 1.0.0 – 2.0.3 carries this weakness at process_handler(), and reaching it takes no account at all. A missing authorization check means a function is reachable by anyone who can reach the endpoint, because the code never asks whether the caller is allowed to perform the action.
Any user who can reach the endpoint gets to run an action reserved for higher-privileged roles, from reading protected data to changing settings or content. No fixed build of this plugin is recorded for REST API yet, so installs running 1.0.0 – 2.0.3 stay exposed until the vendor ships one.
Remediation
No known patch available. Please review the vulnerability's details in depth and employ mitigations based on your organization's risk tolerance. It may be best to uninstall the affected software and find a replacement.
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. No patched version is recorded yet, which is the case where a filtering layer matters most, because there is nothing to update to.
- Login Security
- Alerts
External References
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