Nom du plugin	CM On Demand Search And Replace Plugin
Type of Vulnerability	CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery)
CVE Number	CVE-2025-54728
Urgence	Faible
CVE Publish Date	2025-08-14
Source URL	CVE-2025-54728

Security Advisory — CM On Demand Search And Replace plugin (≤ 1.5.2): Cross‑Site Request Forgery (CSRF) — CVE‑2025‑54728

Résumé
A Cross‑Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the “CM On Demand Search And Replace” WordPress plugin versions up to and including 1.5.2 has been assigned CVE‑2025‑54728. The vendor released version 1.5.3 to address the issue. The weakness can allow an attacker to coerce authenticated users (including administrators in many scenarios) into executing unintended actions while they are logged into the site, potentially changing settings, running replacements, or triggering sensitive plugin functionality.

This advisory is written from the perspective of WP‑Firewall — a professional WordPress web application firewall (WAF) and security service — and is intended for site owners, administrators, developers, and security engineers who manage WordPress installs. Below you’ll find the technical background, impact assessment, detection and mitigation guidance, testing steps, recommended WAF rules and virtual patching strategies, and operational recommendations.

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Table of contents

• What is the issue? (high level)
• Why this matters for WordPress sites
• Technical details (safe, non‑exploitative description)
• Attack scenarios and real world impact
• How to confirm whether you’re affected
• Immediate actions (patching + configuration)
• Recommended WP‑Firewall virtual patching & WAF rules
• Monitoring and detection logic (SIEM and logs)
• Incident response if you suspect compromise
• How we protect customers (WP‑Firewall capabilities)
• Get Essential Protection — Free plan by WP‑Firewall
• Conclusion and further reading

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What is the issue? (high level)

A CSRF vulnerability was discovered in the “CM On Demand Search And Replace” plugin. CSRF flaws occur when a web application accepts state‑changing requests (POST/GET that modify data) without effective verification that the request originates from the legitimate user. In WordPress plugins this is generally mitigated by validating nonces (the built‑in WordPress protection mechanism) or performing capability checks on server side.

This particular instance allowed specially crafted requests to be processed without proper CSRF protection. As a result, an attacker able to trick an authenticated user (for example with a link or embedded form on another website or in an email) could cause that user’s browser to make a request to the target WordPress site that triggers the plugin’s functionality.

Patch details: the plugin author released version 1.5.3 which includes the fix. The vulnerability was scored as Low (CVSS 4.3) — indicating limited impact in the common case — but still worth timely remediation because CSRF can be combined with social engineering to achieve dangerous outcomes.

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Why this matters for WordPress sites

• Many WordPress sites run multiple plugins. Even a low‑severity vulnerability in a single plugin increases the site’s overall attack surface.
• CSRF can be highly effective if site users with meaningful privileges (editor, admin) can be tricked into visiting a malicious page while logged in. Attackers commonly use phishing emails or malicious content placed on third‑party sites to induce such visits.
• For plugins implementing content manipulation (search and replace), unintended invocations can alter site data, modify posts, change configuration or even break content. In worst case combinations, it could be weaponized to insert malicious code.

Even when the exploited action seems minor, the cumulative risk (data loss, site disruption, trust damage) justifies prompt remediation.

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Technical details (safe, non‑exploitative)

What was wrong:

• A plugin endpoint that performs state‑changing actions did not properly validate that requests originated from an expected user interaction or contain a valid WordPress nonce.
• Capability checks were insufficient or not applied for the specific action.
• The endpoint accepted requests (for example POST requests to a plugin action or admin‑ajax endpoint) without CSRF protection.

What the fix does:

• The updated plugin adds nonce validation and verifies the user’s capabilities prior to executing the requested action.
• Additional server‑side checks are implemented so that only authorized requests can proceed.

Important: We avoid sharing exploit code. This advisory explains the attack vector conceptually and provides defensive measures so you can protect your sites.

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Attack scenarios and real world impact

Typical attack vectors for CSRF in WordPress plugins:

1. Social engineering targeting admins:
   • Attacker crafts a webpage that performs a hidden form POST to your site’s vulnerable plugin endpoint.
   • An administrator, logged into wp‑admin, visits that page. The browser includes session cookies and the request executes with the admin’s permissions.
2. Malicious referral / email link:
   • Email or message persuades an editor/administrator to click a link that triggers the plugin functionality.
3. Automated mass attacks:
   • Although CSRF often requires a logged‑in user, attackers sometimes combine CSRF with other attacks (e.g., lure many users, or target low‑privilege users where the plugin erroneously permits actions even for unauthenticated or low‑privileged accounts).

Potential impacts specific to a search‑and‑replace functionality:

• Unintended content changes across posts/pages.
• Breaking serialized data or database structures if search/replace runs on serialized arrays.
• Injecting malicious payloads if replacement targets are attacker‑controlled.
• Loss of content integrity requiring database restoration.

Even if the CVSS score is low, the operational impact (site downtime, reputational damage, time spent on cleanup) can be significant.

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How to confirm whether you’re affected

1. Identify plugin installation:
   • In wp‑admin go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and look for “CM On Demand Search And Replace”.
   • Note the plugin version. If it’s 1.5.2 or older, the site is affected.
2. Check plugin folder on filesystem:
   • SSH/SFTP to your host and check the plugin folder name (commonly under wp‑content/plugins/). Confirm the plugin version in the plugin header comment or read the plugin’s main PHP file.
3. Review audit logs:
   • Look for unexpected calls to admin‑ajax.php or to plugin specific admin endpoints in the period since 31 Jul 2025 (disclosure timeline).
   • Search logs for POST requests to endpoints where the plugin exposes actions.
4. Check for recent content modifications:
   • Review recent posts/changes in wp‑admin > Posts/Pages > All Posts.
   • Compare database snapshots or backups to detect unexpected mass replacements.

If you are unsure or lack the privileges to check, consult your site administrator or hosting provider.

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Immediate actions (patching + configuration)

Priority order (fastest to longer term):

1. Update the plugin (primary fix)
   • Update to version 1.5.3 or later immediately via WordPress dashboard: Plugins > Installed Plugins > Update now.
   • If you prefer CLI: use WP‑CLI (example):

   • wp plugin update cm-on-demand-search-and-replace

   • Confirm the plugin slug before running; back up before performing updates on production sites.
2. If you cannot update immediately, apply temporary mitigations:
   • Disable the plugin: Plugins > Installed Plugins > Deactivate.
   • If the plugin is critical and cannot be deactivated, restrict access to plugin admin pages by limiting access by IP or HTTP auth at the web server level.
3. Hardening steps:
   • Enforce HTTPS on the admin area (define in wp-config.php and server settings).
   • Ensure administrators and editors use two‑factor authentication (2FA) where possible.
   • Rotate admin passwords and review user accounts (remove unused admin users).
4. Backup first:
   • Always take a full site backup (files + database) prior to updates or broad changes. This allows recovery if replacement operations changed content.
5. Scan for signs of active abuse:
   • Run a malware scanner and review logs for abnormal POST traffic patterns targeting plugin endpoints.
   • If you see suspicious activity, isolate the site, preserve logs, and follow incident response steps.

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Recommended WP‑Firewall virtual patching & WAF rules

WP‑Firewall customers can be protected quickly via virtual patching if immediate plugin updates are not feasible. Virtual patching blocks malicious requests at the edge before they reach WordPress.

Below are high‑level WAF rule recommendations. They are intentionally descriptive; WP‑Firewall will deploy tuned rules for customers.

1. Block state‑changing requests without valid WordPress nonce
   • Rule: For POST requests to wp‑admin/* or admin‑ajax.php where action parameters match plugin patterns, require presence of a valid wpnonce parameter or a valid Referer header matching the admin domain.
   • Rationale: Nonce presence is a quick indicator and prevents many CSRF attempts.
2. Restrict access to plugin admin endpoints
   • Rule: Deny direct access (HTTP 403) to the plugin’s admin pages for requests that originate from non‑admin IP ranges unless originating from the admin UI.
   • Rationale: Prevents automated cross‑site posts hitting the plugin UI.
3. Block suspicious Content‑Type and cross‑domain POSTs
   • Rule: Require Content‑Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded or multipart/form-data for admin POSTs originating from the admin interface, and reject requests with non‑browser content types or missing headers.
   • Rationale: Many CSRF payloads use forms or image GETs — checking headers reduces noise.
4. Rate limiting and anomaly detection
   • Rule: Throttle repeated POST requests to the same plugin endpoint from a single IP or a small IP range.
   • Rationale: Limits brute force / automated exploitation attempts.
5. Signature rule for known vulnerable endpoints
   • Rule: Block requests that include the plugin’s specific action names or endpoint patterns when they lack nonce or do not come from authenticated user sessions.
   • Rationale: Prevents exploitation targeted at the known vulnerable paths.
6. Protect data‑changing AJAX actions
   • Rule: For admin‑ajax.php calls with the plugin action parameter, require a valid logged‑in cookie and nonce — otherwise block.
   • Rationale: Ensures the request is legitimate and initiated from the admin UI.

How virtual patching is applied by WP‑Firewall:

• Rapid rule creation and testing
• Low false positive thresholds for admin paths to avoid breaking genuine admin workflows
• Option to enable verbose logging for affected endpoints to help incident response teams

If you run a managed WP‑Firewall service, our team will push a targeted rule that stops the attack vector without requiring site owners to take immediate plugin downtime.

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Monitoring and detection logic (SIEM and logs)

To detect exploitation attempts, configure monitoring and logging to capture:

• HTTP logs:
  • Look for POSTs to /wp-admin/ or /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action parameters related to the plugin.
  • Monitor Referer headers that point to external sites but target admin endpoints.
• Application logs:
  • Enable WordPress debug logging (temporarily and carefully) and monitor for plugin errors or unexpected actions.
  • Log failed nonce checks and high rates of failed nonces.
• Intrusion indicators:
  • Sudden surges of POST requests from many different origin IPs targeting the plugin.
  • Unusual user activity (admins performing content mass replacement without initiating it).

Suggested detection rules for SIEM:

• Rule A: If > 3 POST requests to plugin endpoint from same external referrer within 5 minutes → alert.
• Rule B: If nonces fail frequently for an admin user, and that user performs changes → investigate user session.
• Rule C: If a content change touches many posts within a short time frame from the same user account → alert for potential automated replacement.

Retention and forensic note:

• Preserve webserver logs and WordPress debug logs for at least 30 days if an incident is suspected.
• Capture database snapshots if mass content changes or data corruption is found.

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Incident response if you suspect compromise

If you believe your site may have been exploited via this vulnerability, follow these steps:

1. Isolate:
   • Temporarily put the site in maintenance mode or restrict access to admins by IP to prevent further abuse.
2. Preserve evidence:
   • Save server logs, access logs, and any WordPress debug logs.
   • Make a full backup of files and database immediately (quarantine the backup).
3. Investigate:
   • Identify timeline of changes: which admin accounts were active, what content was modified, which plugin endpoints received requests.
   • Check user sessions (last login, IP addresses).
4. Revert or repair:
   • If changes were made that you want to undo, restore from the most recent clean backup.
   • If content changes are limited, consider manual revert or selective DB rollbacks for affected rows.
5. Remove the vector:
   • Update the plugin to 1.5.3 or later.
   • Rotate admin passwords for users who were active during the period of suspected abuse.
   • Revoke compromised sessions (WordPress > Users > All Users > Sessions, or use a plugin to kill sessions).
6. Post‑incident hardening:
   • Set up two‑factor authentication for privileged accounts.
   • Enable WP‑Firewall rules and virtual patches.
   • Review and limit plugin privileges; remove plugins that are no longer required.

If you lack in‑house expertise, consider engaging a professional WordPress incident response provider.

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How WP‑Firewall protects customers

At WP‑Firewall we deliver layered protection that reduces the window between vulnerability discovery and protection:

• Automatic virtual patching: We produce tuned rules to block exploit attempts for newly discovered vulnerabilities and deploy them to protected sites in a controlled manner.
• Managed detection: Continuous monitoring for suspicious traffic patterns and automated blocking of identified exploitation attempts.
• Nonce and capability enforcement rules: Our WAF can validate requests for expected nonce parameters, referers, and cookie presence before requests reach plugin code.
• Low false positive approach: Admin and content workflows are protected while minimizing disruption to legitimate users.
• Alerts and reporting: Customers receive actionable alerts and reports when rules trigger or anomalous activity is detected.

If you are a WP‑Firewall customer, our security operations team has already created protective rules for similar CSRF cases and can apply site‑specific constraints when needed.

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Get Essential Protection — Free plan by WP‑Firewall

Why upgrade your baseline security (Free plan available)

If you’re managing WordPress websites, start with a solid baseline. WP‑Firewall offers a Basic (Free) plan that covers essential protections you actually need:

• Managed firewall service with tailored WAF rules for WordPress.
• Unlimited bandwidth and always‑on protection.
• Built‑in malware scanner and automated mitigation logic.
• Defenses targeted at the OWASP Top 10 risks, including CSRF mitigation patterns.

For many site owners, the Free plan reduces immediate risk and buys time to perform maintenance windows and plugin updates safely. If you need additional automation and power, consider our paid tiers:

• Standard: automatic malware removal and IP blacklist/whitelist control.
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Sign up for the Basic (Free) plan at: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/

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Practical testing (how to validate that the fix is applied)

After you update to 1.5.3 and apply WAF protections, perform the following checks:

1. Verify plugin version:
   • In wp‑admin, confirm the plugin is listed at version 1.5.3 or later.
2. Basic functionality test:
   • With an admin account, perform the normal plugin workflows to ensure the plugin works as expected. If you implemented strict WAF rules, ensure your admin actions are permitted.
3. Nonce validation signals:
   • Attempt to craft a POST to the plugin endpoint without the nonce — it should be rejected (403 or similar). WP‑Firewall customers can use the managed rule logs to confirm such requests are being blocked.
4. Log review:
   • Check server logs for blocked requests and ensure false positives aren’t affecting legitimate admin tasks.

Note: when testing, avoid using real user accounts for destructive actions; use a separate staging environment or a local test instance where possible.

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Operational recommendations going forward

1. Keep plugin and core updated:
   • Apply updates in a staging environment, then push to production during a maintenance window.
   • Use WP‑CLI for controlled bulk updates on large fleets.
2. Minimize plugin footprint:
   • Remove unused plugins and only keep well‑maintained plugins with active support.
3. Enforce least privilege:
   • Assign minimum required roles to users. Avoid using admin accounts for routine content tasks.
4. Harden admin area:
   • Limit access by IP where feasible, enforce strong passwords and 2FA, enable HTTPS, and block XML‑RPC if not needed.
5. Configure backups and recovery:
   • Keep regular offsite backups with automated retention policies and periodically test recovery procedures.
6. Adopt WAF / virtual patching:
   • Virtual patching reduces mean time to mitigation and buys time for scheduled updates.

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Closing notes

CSRF vulnerabilities are a classic web weakness: conceptually easy to understand but often overlooked in practice. When plugins provide functionality that changes site content, even low‑severity CSRF issues must be treated with urgency because their operational impact can be outsized.

Action checklist:

• Check your version of “CM On Demand Search And Replace” and update to 1.5.3 or later immediately.
• If you cannot update right now, deactivate the plugin or enforce IP/HTTP auth protections on the admin area.
• Use WP‑Firewall (including our free Basic plan) or equivalent to deploy virtual patches and detect exploitation attempts.
• Monitor logs, verify backups, and harden admin access with 2FA and strong passwords.

If you need help implementing protections or want an immediate virtual patch while you schedule plugin updates, WP‑Firewall’s team is ready to assist with guided hardening and managed WAF rules tailored to your environment.

Soyez prudent,
— WP‑Firewall Security Team