CVE-2025-2163 identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Zoorum Comments plugin for WordPress, specifically in the zoorum_set_options() function. This function lacks proper nonce validation, a security mechanism designed to verify the legitimacy of requests and prevent unauthorized actions. As a result, attackers can craft malicious web requests that, when executed by an authenticated site administrator (via clicking a link or visiting a malicious page), cause unauthorized changes to plugin settings and enable injection of malicious scripts. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-79, indicating improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as Cross-site Scripting (XSS). The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the vulnerable component. The impact affects confidentiality and integrity at a low level (C:L, I:L) but does not affect availability (A:N). This vulnerability affects all versions of the Zoorum Comments plugin up to and including 0.9. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, but the risk remains due to the plugin’s usage in WordPress environments. The vulnerability allows attackers to bypass authentication by exploiting the lack of nonce validation, making it possible to alter plugin settings and inject malicious scripts that could be used for further attacks such as session hijacking or defacement.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-2163 is the unauthorized modification of plugin settings and injection of malicious scripts into WordPress sites using the Zoorum Comments plugin. This can lead to partial compromise of confidentiality and integrity, as attackers may execute scripts in the context of the site administrator, potentially stealing sensitive information or manipulating site content. While availability is not directly affected, the injected scripts could be leveraged for phishing, malware distribution, or persistent cross-site scripting attacks against site visitors and administrators. Organizations relying on this plugin risk reputational damage, data leakage, and increased attack surface for further exploitation. The vulnerability’s requirement for user interaction (administrator clicking a malicious link) somewhat limits exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with high administrator activity or targeted spear-phishing campaigns. The broad usage of WordPress globally means many organizations could be affected, particularly those that have not updated or audited their plugins regularly. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not preclude future exploitation as details become more widely known.

To mitigate CVE-2025-2163, organizations should first verify if they use the Zoorum Comments plugin and identify the version in use. Immediate steps include: 1) Updating the plugin to a version that includes proper nonce validation once available from the vendor; 2) If no patch is available, temporarily disabling or removing the plugin to prevent exploitation; 3) Implementing Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the zoorum_set_options() function or unusual POST requests that could indicate CSRF attempts; 4) Educating site administrators about the risks of clicking untrusted links, especially those that could trigger administrative actions; 5) Enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for WordPress admin accounts to reduce the impact of compromised credentials; 6) Regularly auditing plugin configurations and monitoring logs for unusual changes or activity; 7) Employing Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the impact of injected scripts; 8) Conducting penetration testing focused on plugin vulnerabilities to proactively identify and remediate similar issues. These measures combined reduce the likelihood and impact of exploitation beyond generic patching advice.