CVE-2025-11163

SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer <= 3.14.3 - Missing Authorization to Plugin Settings Update

2025-09-29 16:32

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 3.14.4
Affected Plugin: SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer
Affected Version: <= 3.14.3
CVSS: 4.3Medium
Weakness type: CWE-284 · Improper Access Control
CVE: CVE-2025-11163

View all SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2025-11163 is a medium-severity Improper Access Control vulnerability in the SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.14.3. It carries a CVSS score of 4.3 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The root cause is a missing authorization check on a reachable function. The issue is fixed in version 3.14.4; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2025, reported by Rafshanzani Suhada.

Vulnerability Overview

The SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the update_submodule() function in all versions up to, and including, 3.14.3. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to update the plugin's setttings.

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 interaction from a victim user.

CWE-284: Improper Access Control

SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer <= 3.14.3 carries this weakness at update_submodule(), and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Improper access control means the code decides what a caller may do using something other than their actual permissions, so the decision can be wrong without any check appearing to be missing.

Whoever can shape the request decides the answer, so the protected action runs for callers the code never meant to allow. For SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer the fix is 3.14.4: builds <= 3.14.3 are affected, anything from 3.14.4 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.14.4, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

Because it turns on account access, WordSec's login security is the relevant layer: role-based two-factor, captcha and brute-force limits raise the cost of getting the account this needs. None of that substitutes for the fix: SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer 3.14.4 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-11163 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/8a63a9b3-c056-45f3-952c-9aee997d1d27 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-11163

Related records

Other vulnerabilities in SmartCrawl SEO checker, analyzer & optimizer

CVSS Vector

4.3

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

Base

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

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