CVE-2025-1295

Remediation/Mitigation Strategy for CVE-2025-1295: Templines Elementor Helper Core Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

This document outlines the remediation and mitigation strategy for the privilege escalation vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-1295 affecting the Templines Elementor Helper Core plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability allows low-privileged users to escalate their privileges to Administrator under specific conditions.

1. Vulnerability Description:

• CVE ID: CVE-2025-1295
• Plugin: Templines Elementor Helper Core
• Affected Versions: All versions up to and including 2.7
• Description: The Templines Elementor Helper Core plugin contains a privilege escalation vulnerability due to allowing arbitrary user meta updates. This enables authenticated users with Subscriber-level access (or above) to modify their user role to Administrator. The vulnerability is triggered through manipulation of user metadata updates exposed by the plugin.

2. Severity Assessment:

• Severity: High
• CVSS Score: 8.8
• Impact:
  • Critical Privilege Escalation: An attacker can gain full administrative control over the WordPress site.
  • Data Breach Potential: With administrative access, attackers can access sensitive data, including user information, financial details (if stored), and other confidential content.
  • Website Defacement: Attackers can modify or delete website content, causing reputational damage.
  • Malware Injection: Administrators can inject malicious code into the website to infect visitors or use the site as a distribution point for malware.
• Conditional Requirement: This vulnerability requires the BuddyPress plugin to be installed and activated for successful exploitation. If BuddyPress is not installed, the vulnerability is not exploitable.

3. Known Exploit:

• Exploit Availability: Publicly available exploits are likely to emerge soon given the critical nature of the vulnerability and its relatively simple exploitation.
• Exploit Mechanism: The vulnerability is exploited by crafting a request that updates the user’s meta data to change the wp_capabilities user meta field to contain the ‘administrator’ role. This can be achieved through direct API calls or crafting requests to update the user’s profile through the exposed functionality of the plugin combined with BuddyPress.

4. Remediation Strategy:

The primary remediation strategy is to update the Templines Elementor Helper Core plugin to the patched version (2.8 or higher) as soon as possible.

• Immediate Action: Update the Plugin:
  • Log in to your WordPress administration dashboard.
  • Navigate to the “Plugins” section.
  • Locate the “Templines Elementor Helper Core” plugin.
  • If an update is available (version 2.8 or higher), click the “Update Now” button.
  • Verify the Update: After updating, confirm that the plugin version is 2.8 or higher.

5. Mitigation Strategy (if immediate update is not possible):

If an immediate update of the plugin is not possible, implement the following mitigation strategies:

• Disable the Plugin: Temporarily disable the “Templines Elementor Helper Core” plugin. This will prevent exploitation of the vulnerability, but will also remove the plugin’s functionality.

  • Log in to your WordPress administration dashboard.
  • Navigate to the “Plugins” section.
  • Locate the “Templines Elementor Helper Core” plugin.
  • Click the “Deactivate” link.

• Disable BuddyPress: If the Templines Elementor Helper Core plugin is absolutely essential and cannot be disabled, and the functionality of BuddyPress is not critical, temporarily disable the BuddyPress plugin. This breaks the condition for exploitation.

• Web Application Firewall (WAF) Rules: Implement or update WAF rules to detect and block malicious requests that attempt to exploit this vulnerability. Specifically, look for requests that:

  • Attempt to modify the wp_capabilities user meta field.
  • Contain suspicious patterns indicative of privilege escalation attempts.
  • Target specific API endpoints of the Templines Elementor Helper Core plugin (if known).
  • Ensure the WAF is configured in blocking mode to actively prevent exploitation.

• Monitor User Activity: Closely monitor user activity for any signs of unauthorized privilege escalation. Look for new administrator accounts, changes to existing user roles, or unusual activity from low-privileged users.

6. Long-Term Preventative Measures:

• Regular Plugin Updates: Establish a process for regularly updating all WordPress plugins and themes to ensure you have the latest security patches.
• Vulnerability Scanning: Implement a vulnerability scanning solution to proactively identify potential security weaknesses in your WordPress installation.
• Least Privilege Principle: Grant users only the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks. Avoid assigning administrator privileges unnecessarily.
• Security Audits: Conduct periodic security audits of your WordPress site to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
• Consider a Security Plugin: Use a comprehensive security plugin that provides features such as malware scanning, firewall protection, and intrusion detection.
• Stay Informed: Subscribe to security advisories and mailing lists to stay informed about the latest WordPress vulnerabilities and security best practices. (Wordfence is a good source of information).

7. Testing and Validation:

After applying the update or mitigation measures, thoroughly test your WordPress site to ensure that the vulnerability is no longer exploitable and that the plugin functionality remains intact.

8. Rollback Plan:

If the update or mitigation measures cause any issues with your WordPress site, have a plan in place to roll back to a previous version of the plugin or your entire site. This may involve restoring from a backup.

9. Communication Plan:

Communicate with your users about the vulnerability and the steps you have taken to address it. This will help build trust and confidence in your website’s security.

Important Considerations:

• This information is based on the details provided in the vulnerability report. Additional analysis and research may be required to fully understand the vulnerability and its potential impact.
• The specific steps required to remediate or mitigate this vulnerability may vary depending on your WordPress configuration and security setup.
• Consult with a security professional if you have any questions or concerns about this vulnerability or how to address it.

By following these steps, you can effectively remediate or mitigate the privilege escalation vulnerability in the Templines Elementor Helper Core plugin and protect your WordPress site from potential attacks.

Assigner

• Wordfence [email protected]

Date

• Published Date: 2025-02-27 06:15:22
• Updated Date: 2025-02-27 06:15:22

More Details

CVE-2025-1295