CVE-2025-34083: CWE-434 Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type in AitThemes AIT CSV Import/Export WordPress Plugin
An unrestricted file upload vulnerability exists in the WordPress AIT CSV Import/Export plugin ≤ 3.0.3. The plugin exposes an upload handler at upload-handler.php that allows arbitrary file upload via a multipart/form-data POST request. This endpoint does not enforce authentication or content-type validation, enabling attackers to upload malicious PHP code directly to the server. Although the upload may produce an error related to CSV parsing, the malicious file is still saved under wp-content/uploads/ and remains executable. Notably, the plugin does not need to be active for exploitation to succeed.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2025-34083 is a critical security vulnerability identified in the AIT CSV Import/Export WordPress plugin developed by AitThemes, affecting all versions up to and including 3.0.3. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type), CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function), and CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation). The core issue lies in an upload handler script (upload-handler.php) that accepts multipart/form-data POST requests without enforcing any authentication or validating the content type of the uploaded files. This flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker to upload arbitrary files, including malicious PHP scripts, directly to the server. Although the plugin attempts to parse uploaded files as CSV, any parsing errors do not prevent the malicious file from being saved in the WordPress uploads directory (wp-content/uploads/), where it remains executable. Notably, the vulnerability can be exploited even if the plugin is installed but not activated, increasing the attack surface. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 10.0 (critical), reflecting the vulnerability’s ease of exploitation (no authentication or user interaction required), network attack vector, and its severe impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution (RCE), full site compromise, data theft, defacement, or pivoting to other internal systems. No patches or fixes have been published at the time of disclosure, and no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, but the critical nature and simplicity of exploitation make this a high-risk threat for WordPress sites using this plugin.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those relying on WordPress websites that use the AIT CSV Import/Export plugin. Exploitation could lead to complete server takeover, exposing sensitive customer data, intellectual property, and internal communications. This could result in severe GDPR violations with substantial fines and reputational damage. E-commerce platforms, government portals, educational institutions, and media outlets using the affected plugin are particularly vulnerable to data breaches, defacement, or service disruption. The ability to upload and execute arbitrary code without authentication makes it easy for attackers to deploy web shells, ransomware, or use the compromised server as a foothold for lateral movement within corporate networks. The fact that the plugin does not need to be active to be exploited increases the risk for organizations that may have installed but disabled the plugin, potentially leading to overlooked vulnerabilities during routine security assessments.
Mitigation Recommendations
Immediate mitigation steps include: (1) Removing or completely uninstalling the AIT CSV Import/Export plugin from all WordPress installations until a secure patched version is released. (2) If removal is not immediately possible, restrict access to the upload-handler.php endpoint via web server configuration (e.g., using .htaccess rules or equivalent) to block all external HTTP POST requests to this script. (3) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious file upload attempts targeting this endpoint. (4) Conduct thorough audits of the wp-content/uploads/ directory for any unauthorized PHP or executable files and remove them. (5) Monitor server logs for unusual POST requests or file uploads to the vulnerable endpoint. (6) Harden WordPress installations by disabling PHP execution in the uploads directory where possible. (7) Educate site administrators about the risk and ensure that all plugins are kept up to date with security patches. (8) Once a patch is available from the vendor, apply it promptly and verify the fix through testing. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific vulnerable endpoint and the unique characteristics of this plugin’s vulnerability.
Affected Countries
Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Austria
CVE-2025-34083: CWE-434 Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type in AitThemes AIT CSV Import/Export WordPress Plugin
Description
An unrestricted file upload vulnerability exists in the WordPress AIT CSV Import/Export plugin ≤ 3.0.3. The plugin exposes an upload handler at upload-handler.php that allows arbitrary file upload via a multipart/form-data POST request. This endpoint does not enforce authentication or content-type validation, enabling attackers to upload malicious PHP code directly to the server. Although the upload may produce an error related to CSV parsing, the malicious file is still saved under wp-content/uploads/ and remains executable. Notably, the plugin does not need to be active for exploitation to succeed.
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
CVE-2025-34083 is a critical security vulnerability identified in the AIT CSV Import/Export WordPress plugin developed by AitThemes, affecting all versions up to and including 3.0.3. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type), CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function), and CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation). The core issue lies in an upload handler script (upload-handler.php) that accepts multipart/form-data POST requests without enforcing any authentication or validating the content type of the uploaded files. This flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker to upload arbitrary files, including malicious PHP scripts, directly to the server. Although the plugin attempts to parse uploaded files as CSV, any parsing errors do not prevent the malicious file from being saved in the WordPress uploads directory (wp-content/uploads/), where it remains executable. Notably, the vulnerability can be exploited even if the plugin is installed but not activated, increasing the attack surface. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 10.0 (critical), reflecting the vulnerability’s ease of exploitation (no authentication or user interaction required), network attack vector, and its severe impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution (RCE), full site compromise, data theft, defacement, or pivoting to other internal systems. No patches or fixes have been published at the time of disclosure, and no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, but the critical nature and simplicity of exploitation make this a high-risk threat for WordPress sites using this plugin.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those relying on WordPress websites that use the AIT CSV Import/Export plugin. Exploitation could lead to complete server takeover, exposing sensitive customer data, intellectual property, and internal communications. This could result in severe GDPR violations with substantial fines and reputational damage. E-commerce platforms, government portals, educational institutions, and media outlets using the affected plugin are particularly vulnerable to data breaches, defacement, or service disruption. The ability to upload and execute arbitrary code without authentication makes it easy for attackers to deploy web shells, ransomware, or use the compromised server as a foothold for lateral movement within corporate networks. The fact that the plugin does not need to be active to be exploited increases the risk for organizations that may have installed but disabled the plugin, potentially leading to overlooked vulnerabilities during routine security assessments.
Mitigation Recommendations
Immediate mitigation steps include: (1) Removing or completely uninstalling the AIT CSV Import/Export plugin from all WordPress installations until a secure patched version is released. (2) If removal is not immediately possible, restrict access to the upload-handler.php endpoint via web server configuration (e.g., using .htaccess rules or equivalent) to block all external HTTP POST requests to this script. (3) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious file upload attempts targeting this endpoint. (4) Conduct thorough audits of the wp-content/uploads/ directory for any unauthorized PHP or executable files and remove them. (5) Monitor server logs for unusual POST requests or file uploads to the vulnerable endpoint. (6) Harden WordPress installations by disabling PHP execution in the uploads directory where possible. (7) Educate site administrators about the risk and ensure that all plugins are kept up to date with security patches. (8) Once a patch is available from the vendor, apply it promptly and verify the fix through testing. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific vulnerable endpoint and the unique characteristics of this plugin’s vulnerability.
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Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- VulnCheck
- Date Reserved
- 2025-04-15T19:15:22.551Z
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 686dc4ce6f40f0eb72fd187d
Added to database: 7/9/2025, 1:24:30 AM
Last enriched: 7/9/2025, 1:40:04 AM
Last updated: 7/9/2025, 3:07:23 AM
Views: 3
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