CVE-2025-13519 identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the SVG Map Plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.0.0. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper nonce validation on several AJAX endpoints, specifically 'save_data', 'delete_data', and 'add_popup'. Nonce validation is a security mechanism designed to ensure that requests are legitimate and initiated by authenticated users. Without it, attackers can craft malicious web requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator (e.g., by clicking a malicious link), cause unauthorized changes to the plugin's settings, deletion of map data, or injection of malicious scripts. These actions compromise the confidentiality and integrity of the affected WordPress site data. The attack vector requires no prior authentication by the attacker but does require user interaction from an administrator, making social engineering or phishing a likely exploitation method. The vulnerability is network exploitable (AV:N), has low attack complexity (AC:L), requires no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C) because the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The CVSS score of 6.1 reflects a medium severity level, primarily due to the potential for data manipulation and script injection, which could lead to further compromise. No patches or official fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability is cataloged under CWE-352, which covers CSRF issues. Organizations using the SVG Map Plugin in WordPress should be aware of this risk and take immediate steps to mitigate it.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk to the confidentiality and integrity of web assets running WordPress with the SVG Map Plugin installed. Attackers can exploit the CSRF flaw to alter plugin settings, delete critical map data, or inject malicious scripts, potentially leading to data loss, defacement, or further compromise through cross-site scripting (XSS) chains. The requirement for administrator interaction means that phishing or social engineering campaigns could be effective attack vectors. This risk is particularly relevant for organizations with public-facing WordPress sites that utilize the SVG Map Plugin for geographic data visualization or interactive maps. The impact could extend to reputational damage, loss of user trust, and potential regulatory consequences under GDPR if personal data is compromised or manipulated. Since no known exploits are currently active, the window for proactive mitigation is open, but the medium severity score indicates that organizations should prioritize remediation to prevent exploitation.

To mitigate CVE-2025-13519, organizations should implement the following specific actions: 1) Immediately audit WordPress sites for the presence of the SVG Map Plugin and identify affected versions (up to 1.0.0). 2) If available, apply official patches or updates from the plugin vendor; if no patches exist, consider disabling or removing the plugin until a fix is released. 3) Implement custom nonce validation on all AJAX endpoints related to the plugin to ensure requests are legitimate and originate from authenticated administrators. 4) Restrict AJAX actions to authenticated users with appropriate privileges, preventing unauthenticated access. 5) Enhance administrator security awareness training to recognize and avoid phishing attempts that could trigger CSRF attacks. 6) Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious AJAX requests targeting the vulnerable endpoints. 7) Monitor logs for unusual activity related to the plugin's AJAX actions to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 8) Consider isolating or sandboxing WordPress administrative interfaces to reduce exposure to CSRF attacks. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific plugin's AJAX endpoints and the attack vector involving administrator interaction.