CVE-2025-2168 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the Ultimate Store Kit – Elementor powered WooCommerce Builder plugin for WordPress, developed by bdthemes. This plugin provides over 80 widgets and template-building capabilities for WooCommerce and Elementor-based e-commerce sites. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 2.4.1 due to missing or incorrect nonce validation in the dismiss() function. Nonces are security tokens used to verify the legitimacy of requests and prevent unauthorized actions. Because nonce validation is absent or improperly implemented, an unauthenticated attacker can craft a malicious request that, if an administrator is tricked into clicking (user interaction required), will set arbitrary user meta values to '1'. This manipulation can be leveraged to lock administrators out of their own site by altering critical user metadata. The attack vector is remote and requires no prior authentication, but it does require the victim administrator to interact with a malicious link or request. The vulnerability impacts the integrity of the site by allowing unauthorized modification of user metadata, but it does not directly affect confidentiality or availability. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting the low complexity of attack and lack of required privileges, but limited impact scope and user interaction requirement. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The vulnerability is specific to WordPress sites using this particular plugin, which is popular among WooCommerce and Elementor users for building e-commerce storefronts with enhanced UI components and templates.

For European organizations, especially those operating e-commerce websites using WordPress with WooCommerce and Elementor, this vulnerability poses a risk to site integrity and administrative control. An attacker could exploit this CSRF flaw to lock out site administrators by modifying user meta values, potentially disrupting site management and delaying critical updates or responses to other threats. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise customer data confidentiality or site availability, the loss of administrative access could lead to prolonged downtime or inability to manage orders, impacting business operations and customer trust. Organizations relying on this plugin for their online storefronts may face operational disruptions and reputational damage if exploited. Additionally, since WooCommerce is widely used in Europe for online retail, the risk is non-negligible. The requirement for user interaction (administrator clicking a malicious link) means that social engineering or phishing tactics could be employed, increasing the threat surface. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as part of a multi-stage attack to gain further control or persistence on the affected site.

1. Immediate update: Organizations should verify if they are using the Ultimate Store Kit plugin version 2.4.1 or earlier and upgrade to the latest patched version once available. Since no patch links are currently provided, monitoring bdthemes’ official channels for updates is critical. 2. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules: Deploy WAF rules to detect and block suspicious CSRF attempts targeting the dismiss() function or related endpoints. 3. Harden administrator workflows: Educate administrators to avoid clicking on untrusted links, especially those received via email or messaging platforms, to reduce the risk of social engineering. 4. Use security plugins: Employ WordPress security plugins that add additional CSRF protections or nonce validations as a temporary safeguard. 5. Restrict admin access: Limit administrative access to trusted IP addresses or via VPN to reduce exposure. 6. Monitor logs: Regularly review web server and application logs for unusual POST requests or user meta changes that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7. Backup regularly: Maintain frequent backups of the WordPress site and database to enable quick recovery in case of lockout or compromise. 8. Consider disabling or replacing the plugin temporarily if a patch is not yet available and the risk is deemed high.