CVE-2025-62733 identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Custom Sidebars plugin developed by ProteusThemes, affecting versions up to 1.0.3. CSRF vulnerabilities enable attackers to induce authenticated users to execute unwanted actions on a web application without their knowledge, leveraging the victim’s active session. In this case, the vulnerability resides in the plugin’s failure to properly validate requests that modify sidebar configurations or related settings. An attacker can craft a malicious web page or link that, when visited by an authenticated WordPress administrator or user with sufficient privileges, triggers unauthorized changes to the sidebar settings. This can lead to unauthorized content injection, sidebar manipulation, or potential disruption of website layout and functionality. The vulnerability does not require the attacker to have direct access or credentials, but the victim must be logged in with appropriate permissions. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, and no public exploits have been reported. The plugin is commonly used in WordPress environments to customize sidebar content dynamically, making it a target for attackers seeking to compromise website integrity or availability. The lack of anti-CSRF tokens or insufficient request validation is the root cause. The vulnerability was reserved in October 2025 and published in December 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, the impact of this CSRF vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on WordPress sites for business operations, e-commerce, or customer engagement. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to alter sidebar content, potentially injecting malicious links, defacing websites, or disrupting user experience. This can damage brand reputation, reduce customer trust, and lead to financial losses. Additionally, unauthorized changes might be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks, such as phishing or malware distribution. Organizations in sectors like retail, media, and services that heavily depend on WordPress for their online presence are particularly at risk. The vulnerability affects the integrity and availability of website content but does not directly expose sensitive data, so confidentiality impact is moderate. However, the ease of exploitation without complex prerequisites increases the overall risk profile. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation before widespread attacks occur.

1. Monitor for and apply official patches or updates from ProteusThemes as soon as they are released to address this vulnerability. 2. Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block CSRF attack patterns targeting the Custom Sidebars plugin. 3. Enforce strict user role management to limit the number of users with administrative or sidebar-editing privileges. 4. Use security plugins that add CSRF tokens to forms and verify them on submission, ensuring requests are legitimate. 5. Educate users and administrators about the risks of clicking unknown links while authenticated to WordPress sites. 6. Regularly audit WordPress plugins for vulnerabilities and remove or replace plugins that are no longer maintained or secure. 7. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to reduce the risk of malicious script execution. 8. Conduct periodic security assessments and penetration testing focusing on WordPress plugins and customizations.