CVE-2025-9975 is a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability identified in the WP Scraper plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 5.8.1. The vulnerability exists in the wp_scraper_extract_content function, which improperly handles web requests initiated from the plugin. An attacker with authenticated Administrator-level access can exploit this flaw to force the server to send HTTP requests to arbitrary locations, including internal network services that are otherwise inaccessible externally. This can lead to unauthorized information disclosure, such as querying internal APIs or retrieving sensitive metadata from cloud environments where the WordPress instance is hosted. The vulnerability does not allow modification of data or disruption of service but poses a significant confidentiality risk by exposing internal resources. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.8, with the vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, and a scope change due to impact on resources beyond the vulnerable component. Although no public exploits are known, the vulnerability's presence in a widely used WordPress plugin and the common use of cloud hosting environments increase its risk profile. The vulnerability was published on October 11, 2025, and has been assigned CWE-918, which corresponds to SSRF. Mitigation currently requires patching or applying compensating controls to restrict internal network access and limit plugin usage to trusted administrators.

For European organizations, this vulnerability presents a moderate to high risk primarily to confidentiality. Attackers with administrator access can leverage SSRF to access internal services that are not exposed externally, potentially extracting sensitive information such as internal APIs, configuration data, or cloud metadata endpoints. This can lead to further lateral movement or privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities. Organizations using WordPress with the WP Scraper plugin on cloud infrastructure are particularly at risk, as cloud metadata services often contain credentials or tokens that can be abused. The vulnerability does not directly affect integrity or availability, but the information gained could facilitate more damaging attacks. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe and the increasing adoption of cloud hosting, the impact could be significant if exploited in targeted attacks against critical infrastructure, government websites, or large enterprises. The requirement for administrator privileges limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with multiple administrators or compromised credentials.

1. Immediately update the WP Scraper plugin to a patched version once available from the vendor. 2. If a patch is not yet available, restrict plugin usage to the minimum number of trusted administrators and monitor administrator accounts for suspicious activity. 3. Implement network segmentation and firewall rules to prevent WordPress servers from making unauthorized outbound requests to internal services or cloud metadata endpoints. 4. Use web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block suspicious SSRF patterns originating from the WordPress server. 5. Regularly audit and rotate cloud credentials and tokens accessible via metadata services to limit the impact of potential leaks. 6. Employ monitoring and alerting on unusual internal network requests from web servers hosting WordPress. 7. Consider disabling or removing the WP Scraper plugin if it is not essential to reduce attack surface. 8. Educate administrators on the risks of SSRF and enforce strong authentication and access controls to prevent credential compromise.