W3 Total Cache <= 2.8.12 - Unauthenticated Command Injection

2025-10-27 00:00

wesley (wcraft)

Strategic Overview

Status

Patched in 2.8.13

Affected PluginW3 Total Cache

Affected Version<= 2.8.12

CVSS8.1High

CVECVE-2025-9501

View all W3 Total Cache vulnerabilities

Vulnerability Overview

The W3 Total Cache plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.12 via _parse_dynamic_mfunc . This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute code on the server when comments are enabled and a post has been incorrectly injected with the mfunc tags. Please note we consider this to be a theoretical issue, and as such we rejected the original report from the researcher who then submitted this to WPScan. WPScan assigned a CVE ID, but we do not agree that this is a true security vulnerability. Exploitation of this issue is theoretical and requires gaining access to a secret value much like gaining access to a password.

Technical Analysis

REMEDIATION: Update to version 2.8.13, or a newer patched version --- IDENTIFIER: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')) The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-9501 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/7cd8f7da-86d4-4e58-8ce8-f1d147fdcdcc

CVSS Vector

8.1

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh

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