CVE-2025-10705 is a Blind Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability identified in the MxChat – AI Chatbot for WordPress plugin, affecting all versions up to and including 2.4.6. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user-supplied URLs within the plugin's PDF processing functionality. Specifically, the plugin exposes an AJAX action named mxchat_handle_chat_request that accepts URL parameters without proper sanitization or validation, enabling unauthenticated attackers to coerce the WordPress server into making HTTP requests to arbitrary destinations. This SSRF flaw is 'blind' because the attacker does not receive direct responses from the targeted internal or external resources, but can infer success through side effects or timing. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction, increasing its exploitability. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium), reflecting the network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and limited impact confined to confidentiality loss. The primary risk involves attackers leveraging the server's network position to access internal services, perform reconnaissance, or potentially exploit other vulnerabilities in internal systems. No integrity or availability impacts are reported. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is published and should be addressed promptly. The plugin's widespread use in WordPress environments, especially those integrating AI chatbots, makes this a relevant threat for many organizations. The lack of authentication and ease of triggering the SSRF requests heighten the risk profile, particularly for servers with access to sensitive internal networks or cloud metadata services.

For European organizations, this SSRF vulnerability poses a risk primarily to the confidentiality of internal network information and potentially sensitive backend services. Attackers can exploit the vulnerability to make the WordPress server send HTTP requests to internal IP addresses or cloud metadata endpoints, potentially exposing internal infrastructure details or credentials. This can facilitate further lateral movement or privilege escalation attacks. Organizations with WordPress sites using the MxChat plugin, especially those exposing administrative or chatbot functionalities publicly, are at risk. The vulnerability does not directly affect data integrity or availability, but the information gained could be leveraged in multi-stage attacks. Given the prevalence of WordPress in Europe and the increasing adoption of AI chatbot plugins, the threat could impact sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and e-commerce, where internal network confidentiality is critical. Additionally, organizations using cloud services with metadata APIs accessible from the WordPress server could face risks of credential theft or unauthorized cloud resource access. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for targeted attacks.

1. Monitor for and apply official patches or updates from the MxChat plugin vendor as soon as they become available. 2. In the absence of patches, implement strict input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied URLs in the mxchat_handle_chat_request AJAX action to ensure only trusted domains or IP ranges are allowed. 3. Employ network-level egress filtering on the WordPress server to restrict outbound HTTP requests to only necessary destinations, blocking access to internal IP ranges and cloud metadata endpoints (e.g., 169.254.169.254). 4. Use Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious SSRF attempts targeting the vulnerable AJAX endpoint. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests focusing on SSRF and related vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins. 6. Isolate WordPress servers in segmented network zones with minimal access to internal resources to limit potential SSRF impact. 7. Monitor logs for unusual outbound HTTP requests originating from the WordPress server, especially those triggered by the mxchat_handle_chat_request action. 8. Educate development and operations teams about SSRF risks and secure coding practices for handling user-supplied URLs.