CVE-2025-0394 is a critical vulnerability classified under CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type) affecting the Groundhogg WordPress CRM, Email & Marketing Automation plugin developed by trainingbusinesspros. The vulnerability arises from insufficient validation of uploaded file types in the gh_big_file_upload() function, allowing authenticated users with Author-level or higher privileges to upload arbitrary files to the server. Since the plugin does not properly restrict or sanitize file uploads, attackers can upload malicious files such as web shells or scripts, potentially leading to remote code execution (RCE). The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 3.7.3.5. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and requiring only privileges of an authenticated Author user. Exploitation does not require user interaction beyond authentication and can be performed remotely over the network. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability's nature and severity make it a critical risk for WordPress sites using this plugin, especially those that allow multiple users with Author or higher roles. The lack of patch links suggests that a fix may not yet be publicly available, increasing the urgency for mitigation. This vulnerability could be leveraged to gain persistent backdoor access, deface websites, steal sensitive data, or disrupt services.

The impact of CVE-2025-0394 is significant for organizations using the Groundhogg plugin on WordPress sites. Successful exploitation allows attackers to upload arbitrary files, including malicious scripts, leading to remote code execution. This compromises the confidentiality of sensitive customer and business data managed via the CRM and marketing automation plugin. Integrity is at risk as attackers can modify or delete data and website content. Availability may be disrupted through defacement, denial of service, or destruction of critical files. Since the vulnerability requires only Author-level privileges, attackers who gain such access through phishing, credential reuse, or insider threats can escalate their control. This threat is particularly severe for organizations relying on WordPress for customer relationship management, marketing automation, and email campaigns, as compromise could lead to data breaches, reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and operational downtime. The widespread use of WordPress globally increases the potential attack surface, making this a high-risk vulnerability for many sectors including e-commerce, education, healthcare, and professional services.

1. Immediately restrict Author-level and higher user privileges to trusted personnel only and review existing user roles for unnecessary elevated permissions. 2. Implement strict file upload controls at the web server or application firewall level to block dangerous file types such as PHP, ASP, or other executable scripts. 3. Monitor upload directories for suspicious files and set up alerts for unusual file creation or modification activities. 4. Disable or limit the Groundhogg plugin functionality temporarily if possible until a patch is released. 5. Apply the official security patch from the vendor as soon as it becomes available. 6. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block arbitrary file upload attempts targeting this plugin. 7. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on file upload mechanisms. 8. Educate users with Author or higher roles about phishing and credential security to reduce risk of account compromise. 9. Maintain regular backups of website data and files to enable recovery in case of compromise. 10. Monitor threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploits or indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability.