CVE-2025-11167 is an open redirect vulnerability identified in the CM Registration – Tailored tool for seamless login and invitation-based registrations WordPress plugin developed by creativemindssolutions. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.5.6. The root cause is insufficient validation of the 'redirect_url' parameter, which is used to redirect users after certain actions such as login or registration. Because the plugin does not properly verify that the redirect URL points to a trusted domain, attackers can craft malicious URLs that redirect users to external, potentially harmful websites. This vulnerability can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers who trick users into clicking on specially crafted links, leading to phishing attacks, malware distribution, or other social engineering exploits. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.7, indicating medium severity. The attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction is necessary. The scope is changed because the redirection can lead users outside the trusted domain, potentially impacting the integrity of user navigation flow. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-601 (URL Redirection to Untrusted Site), a common web application security issue. Since the plugin is widely used in WordPress environments for managing user registrations and logins, this vulnerability poses a risk to websites relying on it for authentication workflows.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-11167 is the potential for attackers to redirect users to malicious external sites, which can facilitate phishing, credential theft, malware infections, or other social engineering attacks. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or availability of the affected system, it undermines user trust and can lead to indirect security breaches. Organizations using the vulnerable plugin risk reputational damage if users fall victim to redirected attacks originating from their domains. The ease of exploitation (no authentication required) combined with user interaction means widespread phishing campaigns could leverage this flaw. Enterprises with high user traffic on affected WordPress sites may see increased risk of targeted attacks. Additionally, the vulnerability could be chained with other exploits to escalate attacks. The scope includes all websites using the CM Registration plugin up to version 2.5.6, which may be significant given WordPress's global popularity. However, the lack of known exploits in the wild suggests limited active exploitation currently, though this could change once the vulnerability becomes widely known.

To mitigate CVE-2025-11167, organizations should first monitor for and apply any official patches or updates released by creativemindssolutions as soon as they become available. In the absence of patches, administrators can implement strict server-side validation of the 'redirect_url' parameter to ensure it only allows redirects to trusted internal domains or whitelisted URLs. Employing a deny-by-default approach for redirects can prevent open redirect abuse. Additionally, web application firewalls (WAFs) can be configured to detect and block suspicious redirect attempts. User education is critical; informing users to be cautious about clicking on unexpected links, especially those involving login or registration workflows, can reduce successful exploitation. Security teams should audit their WordPress installations to identify usage of the vulnerable plugin and versions, and consider temporary disabling or replacing the plugin if patching is delayed. Logging and monitoring redirect-related activities can help detect exploitation attempts early. Finally, integrating multi-factor authentication (MFA) can mitigate downstream risks from phishing attacks leveraging this vulnerability.