CVE-2025-10380 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the WordPress plugin 'Advanced Views – Display Posts, Custom Fields, and More' developed by wplakeorg. This vulnerability is classified as CWE-1336, which involves improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine, specifically a Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI). The issue exists in all versions up to and including 3.7.19 due to insufficient input sanitization and lack of access control when processing custom Twig templates within the Model panel of the plugin. An authenticated attacker with author-level privileges or higher can exploit this flaw to inject malicious Twig template code that is executed on the server side. This leads to arbitrary PHP code execution and command execution on the hosting server. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8, indicating a high level of severity, with an attack vector of network, low attack complexity, requiring privileges (author-level), no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level. The lack of access control means that any user with author or higher permissions can exploit this, which is significant because author-level access is commonly granted to trusted users who can create and manage content but are not administrators. Exploitation could allow attackers to fully compromise the WordPress server, leading to data theft, site defacement, malware deployment, or pivoting to internal networks. No known public exploits are reported yet, but the vulnerability's nature and severity make it a critical risk once weaponized. The plugin's use of Twig templates without proper sanitization and access restrictions is the root cause, highlighting the importance of secure template handling and strict privilege enforcement in WordPress plugins.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the affected plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Many European businesses, government agencies, and NGOs rely on WordPress for their web presence, and plugins like Advanced Views are popular for content customization. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain remote code execution on web servers, leading to data breaches involving personal data protected under GDPR, service disruption, defacement, or use of compromised servers for further attacks. The breach of confidentiality and integrity could result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and financial losses. Furthermore, the ability to execute arbitrary commands could allow attackers to establish persistent backdoors or move laterally within the network, threatening broader organizational IT infrastructure. Given the high prevalence of WordPress in Europe and the common use of author-level accounts by content teams, the attack surface is considerable. Organizations with sensitive or regulated data hosted on WordPress sites are particularly at risk. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation before widespread exploitation occurs.

1. Immediate update or patching: Although no patch links are provided, organizations should monitor the plugin vendor's official channels for updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly. 2. Restrict author-level access: Review and minimize the number of users with author or higher privileges. Implement strict role-based access controls and audit user permissions regularly. 3. Disable or remove the affected plugin if not essential, or replace it with a secure alternative that properly sanitizes template inputs. 4. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious Twig template payloads or unusual POST requests targeting the Model panel. 5. Monitor logs for unusual activity indicative of template injection attempts or unauthorized code execution. 6. Harden the WordPress environment by disabling PHP execution in upload directories and restricting file system permissions to limit the impact of successful exploitation. 7. Conduct security awareness training for content authors about the risks of plugin vulnerabilities and the importance of secure practices. 8. Employ runtime application self-protection (RASP) or endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect anomalous behavior stemming from exploitation attempts.