CVE-2025-50028

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-50028 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability in the CodeSolz Ultimate Push Notifications WordPress plugin, affecting versions up to and including 1.2.0. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels, potentially leading to unauthorized data access or manipulation of push notification settings. The vulnerability is classified as a WordPress ecosystem issue, not related to Apache or Nginx.

Supply Chain & Package Security

This vulnerability is specific to the WordPress plugin ecosystem. The plugin is distributed via the WordPress Plugin Directory and may be included in managed WordPress hosting environments. Users should verify their plugin version and apply any available updates from the vendor.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Score: 6.5 (Medium)
• Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
• Attack Vector: Network
• Attack Complexity: Low
• Privileges Required: None
• User Interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality Impact: Low
• Integrity Impact: Low
• Availability Impact: None

The threat level is Medium due to the low complexity and no required privileges, but the impact is limited to low confidentiality and integrity loss.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability resides in the Ultimate Push Notifications plugin's access control mechanisms. The plugin fails to properly validate user permissions when processing certain AJAX actions or REST API endpoints. An unauthenticated attacker can send crafted HTTP requests to trigger actions that should require administrative privileges, such as:

• Modifying push notification settings
• Accessing sensitive configuration data
• Triggering push notification broadcasts

The missing authorization check allows exploitation of incorrectly configured access control security levels, as described in the CVE.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Since no patch is available, the vulnerable code is presumed to be in the plugin's main PHP files. A typical vulnerable pattern might look like:

// Vulnerable code (example)
add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_update_settings', 'update_push_settings');
function update_push_settings() {
    // No capability check
    update_option('push_settings', $_POST['settings']);
}

A patched version would include a capability check:

// Patched code (example)
add_action('wp_ajax_update_settings', 'update_push_settings');
function update_push_settings() {
    if (!current_user_can('manage_options')) {
        wp_die('Unauthorized');
    }
    update_option('push_settings', $_POST['settings']);
}

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team

To exploit this vulnerability in a lab environment:

1. Setup: Install WordPress with the Ultimate Push Notifications plugin version 1.2.0.
2. Reconnaissance: Identify vulnerable endpoints using a tool like WPScan or manual inspection of plugin source code.
3. Exploitation: Send a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable endpoint without authentication.

Example using curl:

curl -X POST http://target/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php \
  -d "action=update_push_settings&settings[api_key]=attacker_key"

Blue Team

To detect exploitation attempts:

1. Monitor logs: Look for unusual AJAX requests to admin-ajax.php with actions related to push notifications.
2. Check user agents: Unexpected or missing user agents may indicate automated exploitation.
3. Review access logs: Identify requests from IPs not associated with legitimate administrators.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• Network IOCs:
  • HTTP POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action=update_push_settings or similar.
  • Requests containing ultimate-push-notifications in the URL or POST data.
• File IOCs:
  • Modified plugin files in /wp-content/plugins/ultimate-push-notifications/.
  • Unexpected entries in the wp_options table related to push notification settings.
• Behavioral IOCs:
  • Unauthorized push notifications sent to users.
  • Changes to plugin settings without admin login.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2025_50028_Ultimate_Push_Notifications {
    meta:
        description = "Detects exploitation attempts for CVE-2025-50028"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
        reference = "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-50028"
    strings:
        $action = "update_push_settings"
        $plugin_path = "ultimate-push-notifications"
    condition:
        $action or $plugin_path
}

Sigma Rule

title: CVE-2025-50028 Exploitation Attempt
id: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012
status: experimental
description: Detects HTTP requests targeting the Ultimate Push Notifications plugin
author: Valters IT
date: 2025/04/10
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: apache
detection:
    selection:
        cs-method: 'POST'
        cs-uri-query|contains: 'admin-ajax.php'
        cs-uri-query|contains: 'action=update_push_settings'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate admin actions
level: medium

Suricata Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2025-50028 Exploitation Attempt"; flow:to_server; content:"POST"; http_method; content:"admin-ajax.php"; http_uri; content:"action=update_push_settings"; http_client_body; classtype:attempted-admin; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

Since no official patch is available, the following mitigations are recommended:

1. Disable the plugin until a patch is released.
2. Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block requests to vulnerable endpoints.
3. Restrict access to admin-ajax.php using .htaccess or server configuration.
4. Monitor logs for suspicious activity and block offending IPs.
5. Contact the vendor for an update or consider alternative push notification plugins.

Valters IT
Securing Digital Frontiers