CVE-2025-8383 identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the averta Depicter — Popup & Slider Builder WordPress plugin, versions up to and including 4.0.4. The vulnerability stems from the absence or improper implementation of nonce validation in the depicter-document-rules-store function, which is responsible for managing document rules within the plugin. Nonces in WordPress are security tokens used to verify that requests originate from legitimate users and not from malicious third parties. Without proper nonce checks, attackers can craft malicious requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator (via clicking a link or visiting a malicious page), cause unauthorized modifications to the document rules. This attack vector requires no prior authentication by the attacker but depends on social engineering to induce an administrator to perform the action. The impact primarily affects the integrity of the website’s content presentation, as attackers can alter popup or slider configurations, potentially misleading users or disrupting user experience. The vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or availability directly. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting the ease of exploitation (network vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required) but limited impact scope and the need for user interaction. No public exploits have been reported, and no patches were linked at the time of publication, indicating that mitigation may rely on vendor updates or workarounds. The vulnerability was reserved in July 2025 and published in October 2025, showing recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, especially those relying on WordPress for content management and using the averta Depicter plugin, this vulnerability poses a risk to the integrity of their web content. Attackers could manipulate popup and slider displays, potentially misleading customers or disrupting marketing campaigns. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, altered content could damage brand reputation and user trust. The requirement for administrator interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. Organizations with high web traffic or e-commerce platforms are at greater risk due to the potential for reputational damage and indirect financial losses. Additionally, regulatory frameworks such as GDPR emphasize integrity and security of data and systems, so exploitation could lead to compliance issues if attackers manipulate content in ways that mislead users or expose personal data indirectly. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits post-disclosure.

1. Monitor the averta plugin vendor’s communications for official patches and apply updates promptly once available. 2. Until a patch is released, restrict administrative access to trusted personnel only and enforce multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of compromised admin accounts. 3. Educate administrators about phishing and social engineering risks, emphasizing caution when clicking links or visiting unknown websites while logged into WordPress admin. 4. Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect and block suspicious POST requests targeting the depicter-document-rules-store endpoint. 5. Consider temporarily disabling or removing the Depicter plugin if it is not critical to operations or if mitigation cannot be assured. 6. Regularly audit WordPress user roles and permissions to minimize the number of users with administrative privileges. 7. Employ security plugins that enforce nonce validation or additional CSRF protections as a temporary safeguard. 8. Conduct routine security assessments and penetration tests focusing on WordPress plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities proactively.