CVE-2025-12535 identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the SureForms plugin for WordPress, which is widely used for creating contact forms, custom forms, calculators, and more. The root cause lies in the plugin’s distribution of generic WordPress REST API nonces (wp_rest) to unauthenticated users through the 'wp_ajax_nopriv_rest-nonce' action. Normally, nonces are used to verify that requests originate from legitimate users to prevent CSRF attacks. However, SureForms incorrectly uses generic REST nonces rather than form-specific nonces, which are unique and tied to particular actions or forms. This design flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass CSRF protections on REST API endpoints that rely solely on nonce verification without additional authentication or authorization checks. Consequently, attackers can invoke unauthorized actions such as triggering the plugin’s post-submission hooks, which may lead to unintended data processing or manipulation. Furthermore, because the vulnerability affects REST endpoints, it could potentially be leveraged to interact with other plugins that rely on similar nonce-based protections, broadening the attack surface. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.13.1. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based, requires no privileges or user interaction, and impacts integrity but not confidentiality or availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability’s presence in a popular WordPress plugin makes it a notable risk. The issue was publicly disclosed on November 19, 2025, with no patch links currently available, indicating that users should monitor vendor updates closely.

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily threatens the integrity of web applications using the SureForms plugin on WordPress. Attackers can perform unauthorized actions such as submitting or manipulating form data without user consent, potentially leading to data corruption, unauthorized workflows, or triggering unintended business processes. While it does not directly expose sensitive data or cause service outages, the ability to bypass CSRF protections can facilitate further chained attacks or abuse of application logic. Organizations relying on forms for customer interactions, lead generation, or internal workflows may experience operational disruptions or reputational damage if attackers exploit this flaw. Additionally, if other plugins on the same WordPress instance rely on similar nonce-based REST API protections, the vulnerability could be leveraged to escalate impact. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe, especially among small and medium enterprises and public sector websites, the risk is significant. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability remotely without authentication or user interaction, increasing the likelihood of automated or large-scale exploitation attempts once a public exploit emerges.

1. Monitor the vendor’s official channels for patches addressing CVE-2025-12535 and apply updates promptly once available. 2. Until a patch is released, implement server-side validation to enforce form-specific nonces rather than generic REST API nonces. This can be done by customizing nonce verification logic to ensure that nonces are unique per form and action. 3. Restrict REST API endpoint access where possible, limiting unauthenticated access to only necessary endpoints. 4. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious REST API requests that may indicate CSRF attempts. 5. Conduct thorough security reviews of other plugins that rely on nonce-based REST API protections to ensure they do not share similar weaknesses. 6. Educate developers and administrators about the risks of generic nonce usage and encourage best practices in nonce implementation. 7. Implement monitoring and alerting for unusual form submission patterns or REST API activity that could indicate exploitation attempts. 8. Consider disabling or replacing the SureForms plugin with alternatives that follow secure nonce handling if immediate patching is not feasible.