CVE-2025-6742 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the SureForms – Drag and Drop Form Builder plugin for WordPress, developed by Brainstormforce. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-502, which involves deserialization of untrusted data, specifically PHP Object Injection. This issue exists in all versions of the plugin up to and including version 1.7.3. The root cause is the use of the PHP function file_exists() within the delete_entry_files() function without proper validation or restriction on the file path input. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious PHP objects. However, the vulnerability alone does not lead to direct exploitation because the plugin itself lacks a gadget or POP (Property Oriented Programming) chain necessary to execute arbitrary code or perform other malicious actions. The risk arises when the vulnerable plugin is installed alongside other plugins or themes that contain exploitable POP chains. In such scenarios, attackers can leverage the deserialization flaw combined with these chains to delete arbitrary files, access sensitive data, or execute arbitrary code on the affected WordPress site. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.5 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with network attack vector, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction. No known public exploits are reported yet, but the potential for serious damage exists if combined with other vulnerable components. This vulnerability highlights the risks of insecure deserialization in WordPress plugins and the importance of validating input paths and restricting file operations.

For European organizations using WordPress websites with the SureForms plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for those running multiple plugins or custom themes that may contain exploitable POP chains. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized deletion of files, leakage of sensitive information, or remote code execution, potentially resulting in website defacement, data breaches, or full server compromise. Such incidents could disrupt business operations, damage reputation, and lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR due to data exposure. The risk is amplified for organizations relying on WordPress for customer-facing portals, e-commerce, or internal communications. Given the unauthenticated nature of the vulnerability, attackers can attempt exploitation remotely without credentials, increasing the attack surface. Although user interaction is required, phishing or social engineering could facilitate this. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits over time. European organizations should prioritize patching or mitigating this vulnerability to protect their digital assets and maintain compliance with data protection regulations.

1. Immediate upgrade: Organizations should update the SureForms plugin to a version beyond 1.7.3 once a patch is released by Brainstormforce. Monitor vendor announcements for official fixes. 2. Plugin audit: Conduct a thorough audit of all installed WordPress plugins and themes to identify any that contain POP chains or are known to be vulnerable to PHP Object Injection. Remove or update such components to reduce the attack surface. 3. Input validation: Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious payloads targeting the delete_entry_files() function or related endpoints. 4. Principle of least privilege: Restrict file system permissions for the WordPress installation to limit the ability of the web server process to delete or modify critical files. 5. Monitoring and logging: Enable detailed logging of file operations and monitor for unusual deletion or access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. User interaction controls: Educate users and administrators about phishing risks to reduce the chance of user interaction facilitating exploitation. 7. Backup strategy: Maintain regular, secure backups of website data and files to enable rapid recovery in case of file deletion or compromise. 8. Segmentation: Isolate WordPress environments to limit lateral movement if a compromise occurs. These mitigations go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific nature of the vulnerability and its exploitation conditions.