CVE-2025-1307 is a critical security vulnerability identified in the Newscrunch WordPress theme developed by spicethemes, affecting all versions up to and including 1.8.4.1. The root cause is a missing authorization check (CWE-862) in the function newscrunch_install_and_activate_plugin(), which fails to verify the capability of the user attempting to upload files. This flaw allows any authenticated user with Subscriber-level access or higher to upload arbitrary files to the server hosting the WordPress site. Because WordPress Subscriber roles are typically assigned to low-privilege users, this significantly lowers the barrier for exploitation. The arbitrary file upload capability can be leveraged to upload malicious scripts or web shells, potentially enabling remote code execution (RCE) on the server. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8, reflecting its critical severity, with an attack vector over the network, no privileges required, no user interaction needed, and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. While no known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, the vulnerability's characteristics make it highly exploitable. The lack of a patch at the time of reporting increases the urgency for mitigation. This vulnerability threatens the security of websites using the Newscrunch theme, potentially allowing attackers to take full control of affected servers, steal sensitive data, deface websites, or use compromised servers for further attacks.

The impact of CVE-2025-1307 is severe for organizations running WordPress sites with the Newscrunch theme. Successful exploitation can lead to remote code execution, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the server. This compromises the confidentiality of sensitive data stored or processed by the website, including user information and business data. Integrity is at risk as attackers can modify website content, inject malicious code, or alter backend data. Availability can be disrupted by attackers deleting files, defacing websites, or using the server resources for malicious activities such as launching further attacks or hosting illegal content. The vulnerability's low privilege requirement (Subscriber-level access) means attackers can exploit it even with minimal initial access, increasing the risk of insider threats or compromised user accounts being leveraged. The widespread use of WordPress globally and the popularity of themes like Newscrunch amplify the potential scale of impact, potentially affecting thousands of websites, including those of small businesses, media outlets, and other organizations relying on WordPress for their web presence.

To mitigate CVE-2025-1307, organizations should immediately update the Newscrunch theme to a patched version once available from spicethemes. Until a patch is released, administrators should restrict user roles and permissions rigorously, ensuring that only trusted users have Subscriber-level or higher access. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block arbitrary file upload attempts targeting the vulnerable function can provide temporary protection. Disabling or restricting plugin and theme installation and activation capabilities for low-privilege users can reduce attack surface. Monitoring server logs for unusual file upload activity and scanning uploaded files for malicious content is recommended. Employing file integrity monitoring and restricting executable permissions on upload directories can limit the impact of any successful upload. Regular backups and incident response plans should be in place to recover quickly from potential compromises. Additionally, organizations should consider isolating WordPress instances and using containerization or sandboxing to limit the blast radius of any exploit.