Critical Unauthenticated Cache Poisoning WP Go Maps//Published on 2025-10-18//CVE-2025-11703

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WP Go Maps Vulnerability CVE-2025-11703

プラグイン名 WP Go Maps
Type of Vulnerability Unauthenticated cache poisoning
CVE Number CVE-2025-11703
緊急 低い
CVE Publish Date 2025-10-18
Source URL CVE-2025-11703

Urgent: WP Go Maps (<= 9.0.48) Unauthenticated Cache Poisoning — What WordPress Site Owners Must Do Now

by WP-Firewall Security Team | 2025-10-18

まとめ: A content-injection / cache-poisoning vulnerability affecting WP Go Maps (formerly WP Google Maps) versions up to 9.0.48 has been assigned CVE‑2025‑11703. It allows unauthenticated attackers to poison cached content which can lead to phishing pages or injected content being served to your visitors. Version 9.0.49 fixes the issue. Below I explain the risk, how attacks work at a high level, how to detect if you were impacted, and exactly what you should do (including immediate virtual patching, hardening and incident response) to protect your website.


Why this matters (short version)

WP Go Maps is a widely-used mapping plugin. A vulnerability in how the plugin handled cached responses allowed unauthenticated users to influence cached content in some configurations. An attacker could cause your site to serve attacker-controlled content to visitors (content injection / phishing), damage your brand, and cause search-engine penalties.

If you run WP Go Maps and your site uses a caching layer (plugin caching, server cache, or CDN), you should treat this as urgent: update, and if you can’t immediately update, apply mitigations (virtual patching, cache configuration changes, or manual hardening).


Background and risk assessment

CVE: CVE‑2025‑11703
Affected software: WP Go Maps (formerly WP Google Maps) plugin — versions ≤ 9.0.48
Fixed: version 9.0.49
Reported severity: Low / CVSS 5.3 (content injection / A3: Injection)
必要な権限: Unauthenticated (no login required)

This vulnerability is categorized as “unauthenticated cache poisoning” that can lead to content injection. Cache poisoning vulnerabilities vary in impact depending on how a site is configured:

  • If the site serves public cached pages (page cache, reverse proxy, CDN), poisoned cache entries may be served to many visitors.
  • If search engines index poisoned pages, it can lead to widespread phishing or SEO poisoning.
  • If the site only caches internally or uses per-user cache keys, impact may be reduced.

While the published severity is “low” in the CVSS context, the real-world impact depends on the caching infrastructure and whether the attacker can influence cache keys or cached response content. Because the vulnerability requires no authentication, it is prioritized for immediate attention.


How an attacker abuses unauthenticated cache poisoning (conceptual)

I’ll explain the general pattern without providing exploit instructions.

  • Many caching systems (plugins, proxies, CDNs) store cached responses using a “cache key” derived from request properties such as URL path, query string, Host header, cookies, or selected request headers.
  • If a vulnerable component allows an attacker to control content returned for a given cache key, an attacker may first send a malicious request that populates the cache with poison (attacker-controlled HTML, script, or redirect).
  • Subsequent legitimate visitors are then served the poisoned cached response until the cache entry expires or is purged.
  • Attackers prefer unauthenticated vectors because they can automate poisoning across many targets without credentials.

In this case, the plugin’s handling of requests, combined with caching behavior, allowed unauthenticated modification or poisoning of content stored in cache. That created an opportunity to inject phishing or malicious content into pages served to visitors.


Immediate actions (ordered)

If you host WordPress sites, treat this like any unpatched plugin vulnerability: triage quickly and follow a prioritized list.

  1. Confirm plugin usage and version

    • In wp-admin, go to Dashboard → Plugins and check the WP Go Maps version.
    • Or use WP-CLI: wp plugin list | grep wp-google-maps (or plugin slug used on your installation).
  2. Update plugin immediately if possible

    • Update to version 9.0.49 or later via wp-admin or WP-CLI: wp plugin update wp-google-maps
    • Don’t update on production if you need to test first—deploy to staging and verify. If you cannot test live, schedule an off-peak maintenance window.
  3. If you cannot update immediately, apply fast mitigations (below)
  4. Purge caches and CDNs after updating or applying mitigations

    • Purge server caches (plugin caches like WP Super Cache, WP Rocket), reverse proxy (Varnish), and CDNs (Cloud CDN, Cloudflare, etc.). Poisoned content may still be served from cached copies if not purged.
  5. Scan your site for injected content and phishing pages

    • Search for newly created or modified pages/posts and for suspicious HTML snippets or external links.
    • Use your malware scanner to scan files and database content.
  6. Rotate site credentials if you detect compromise

    • Reset admin passwords, revoke tokens, rotate API keys if attackers had write access.
  7. Monitor traffic and logs for suspicious requests to cache-related endpoints

    • Look for unusual query-strings, repeated requests from single IPs, or requests that differ only by Host header or specific headers.

Detailed mitigations (if you cannot update right away)

If immediate plugin update is not possible (compatibility testing, customizations, or staging requirements), apply these mitigations to reduce risk:

  1. Purge caches and adjust cache key strategy

    • If your caching layer includes Host header or user-supplied headers in the cache key, restrict or normalize them.
    • Configure caches to ignore untrusted headers (e.g., do not use arbitrary request headers in cache keys).
    • Limit acceptance of requests with unexpected hostnames or X-Forwarded-* values.
  2. Block requests that look like cache-poison attempts

    • Reject requests that provide conflicting Host headers, duplicate cache-control headers, or suspicious query parameters directed at mapping endpoints.
    • Use rate limiting on endpoints that could be abused to set cache entries.
  3. Restrict access to plugin-specific endpoints

    • If WP Go Maps exposes AJAX or REST endpoints that influence front-end content, restrict them by capability or by origin when possible.
    • Implement IP allowlists for back-end endpoints or require a secret token for changes.
  4. Harden response headers

    • Add or tighten Content-Security-Policy (CSP) to make injected scripts less useful.
    • Enable X-Frame-Options, Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS), and X-Content-Type-Options.
  5. Virtual patching via WAF (recommended when updates are delayed)

    • Deploy a WAF rule set that blocks or sanitizes requests matching the vulnerability pattern (described in the next section).
    • Virtual patching prevents the vulnerability from being exploited at the perimeter until the plugin is updated.
  6. Limit public discovery

    • Disable any public debugging or verbose error output.
    • If the mapping plugin offers public endpoints with minimal need, consider temporarily disabling the plugin until you can update.

Suggested WAF & filtering rules (high-level — implement per your WAF capabilities)

Below are safe, non-exploitable rule patterns your WAF or reverse proxy can implement immediately. These are conceptual; adapt to your environment.

  • Normalize Host header

    • If Host header is not in your configured list of known hostnames, reject the request (HTTP 400).
  • Reject inconsistent or conflicting cache-control requests from anonymous clients

    • If a request attempts to set cache-control or vary headers in unexpected ways, block it.
  • Block requests with suspicious header combinations

    • Block requests that include both a user-supplied header used for cache-keying and a suspicious query parameter targeting mapping endpoints.
  • Limit content-writing requests to authenticated users

    • If the plugin accepts requests that may alter content, ensure only authenticated and authorized requests can trigger cache writes.
  • Rate limit and anomalous activity detection

    • Rate-limit requests that modify or could prime caches for the same resource from the same IP or IP range.
  • Sanitize query parameters and block obviously malicious payloads

    • Reject or sanitize request parameters that appear to contain HTML or script tags, or known attack patterns.

Example pseudocode rule (conceptual):

  • If request.path matches mapping_endpoint AND request.method IN (GET, POST) AND request contains suspicious param X:
    THEN block or challenge (return 403 or CAPTCHA) / log for review.

Important: Do not apply overly broad rules that would break legitimate functionality. Test any rule in detection/monitor mode first.


How to confirm whether your site was exploited

Search and check the following quickly:

  • Public cached pages
    • Manually view important pages (home page, landing pages) using multiple browsers / devices and from different networks. Look for unexpected content, redirects, or script injections.
  • Google and external indexing
    • Check Google Search Console and site search results for unusual content snippets in cached pages.
  • WordPress posts/pages
    • Search the posts and pages database for unusual strings or injected HTML. Use a database query: search post_content for suspicious tags or external domains.
  • Plugin cache files
    • Check plugin cache directories (in wp-content/uploads or plugin-specific temp directories) for unexpected files or recent modification times that coincide with suspicious traffic.
  • Server and access logs
    • Inspect logs for repeated suspicious requests to mapping endpoints or routes that coincide with cache writes.
  • Newly added files or admin users
    • Check /wp-content/uploads, themes, and plugin directories for unknown files; check wp_users for new admin accounts.

If you find injected content, preserve logs and a snapshot for incident response, then proceed with cleanup steps (below).


Cleanup and incident response (if you discover poisoning or injection)

  1. Take a site snapshot (files + DB) and save logs for analysis.
  2. Immediately put the site into maintenance mode if the site is actively serving malicious content.
  3. Purge all caches and CDN caches. Make sure edge/CDN caches are invalidated.
  4. Replace infected files from clean backups where necessary. If database content is injected, remove or restore clean copies.
  5. Reset all admin and privileged credentials, including API keys and tokens that may be stored in the site.
  6. Review and remove unauthorized admin users or roles.
  7. Run a full malware scan and manual review of critical templates and plugin code.
  8. After cleanup, monitor for reappearance of malicious content and set up enhanced logging.
  9. Notify stakeholders and, if necessary, search engines to request re-indexing after cleanup.

If you are unsure how to proceed, consider professional incident response. Quick containment (cache purge, WAF rule) reduces exposure while you investigate.


How WP-Firewall protects you (virtual patching & practical benefits)

As a layered security provider, WP-Firewall offers defenses that help even before plugins are updated:

  • Virtual patching (WAF rules): We can deploy rules that specifically target the attack surface exploited by unauthenticated cache poisoning attempts and stop malicious cache-priming requests at the edge.
  • Managed firewall with minimal false positives: We tune protections for typical WordPress behavior and for mapping plugins, allowing your legitimate plugin use while blocking suspicious patterns.
  • Malware scanning and monitoring: Continuous scans of files and database entries detect injected content quickly.
  • Automatic mitigation for OWASP Top 10 risks: Prevents a number of injection patterns commonly abused by attackers.
  • Unlimited bandwidth and scalable protections suitable for busy sites.

If you run many sites or manage client websites, virtual patching provides crucial time to safely test and deploy vendor updates without immediately exposing your sites.


Best practices to adopt across your WordPress estate

Use the WP Go Maps incident as an opportunity to review and improve site security holistically.

  • Keep plugins and themes updated — prioritize updates that fix security issues.
  • Maintain automated offsite backups with point-in-time restore options.
  • Use per-site staging environments for plugin updates and compatibility testing.
  • Disable or remove plugins you do not actively use.
  • Keep minimal privileges for all accounts; use granular roles and two-factor authentication for admin users.
  • Use HTTPS everywhere and apply HSTS where appropriate.
  • Configure caching layers to not rely on untrusted headers or user-supplied fields in cache keys.
  • Implement runtime integrity monitoring and file change alerts.
  • Implement alerts for newly created admin users or changed critical files.
  • Use a WAF (managed or properly configured DIY) to provide perimeter protection against zero-day and disclosed vulnerabilities.

FAQ: common questions site owners ask

Q: My site doesn’t use caching — am I safe?
A: If no caching layer stores and serves cached content to visitors, the likelihood of an attacker “poisoning” shared caches is lower. However, many site components or infrastructure services (CDN, reverse proxy, hosting-level cache) may still cache content. Verify whether your host or CDN caches public pages. Also, content injection can still be possible if plugin endpoints directly modify content. Patch promptly.

Q: Is it safe to update to 9.0.49 immediately?
A: Generally yes. Always test in staging if you have heavy customizations. Backup before updating. Most plugin updates are safe, but testing ensures no unexpected behavior on your custom site.

Q: What if my theme or custom code depends on the vulnerable plugin’s behavior?
A: Test in a staging environment. If you discover breaking changes after update, work with your developer to adapt to the patched behavior. Meanwhile, protect production with virtual patching and strict access controls.

Q: How long will cached poisoned content remain after update?
A: That depends on cache TTL and whether you purge caches. Purge all caches and CDN edge caches immediately after applying the fix. If you can’t purge, reduce TTLs and trigger cache invalidation for critical pages.


Practical checklist (copy/paste for operations)

  • Identify all sites using WP Go Maps (plugin slug: wp-google-maps / WP Go Maps).
  • Confirm plugin version ≤ 9.0.48.
  • If vulnerable, backup site (files + DB).
  • Update plugin to 9.0.49 or later (staged first if required).
  • Purge caches (plugin, server, CDN).
  • Scan for injected content and indicators of compromise.
  • Rotate credentials if compromise suspected (admins, API keys).
  • Implement WAF rules to block cache-poisoning patterns until patched.
  • Monitor logs for recurring suspicious requests for 7–14 days.
  • Re-run malware scan and re-index with search engines if content was removed.

Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) to watch for

  • Unexplained HTML snippets in pages (especially scripts linking to unknown domains).
  • Repeated identical requests with unusual Host or header combinations to mapping endpoints.
  • Changes to post_content or unfamiliar posts/pages created around the time of suspicious requests.
  • Cached files in plugin/temp directories with modification timestamps matching suspicious traffic spikes.
  • Unusual traffic patterns from single IPs trying multiple cache-key variants.

If you identify IoCs, capture logs and contact your security team or provider for incident response.


Responsible disclosure and patch status

The plugin developer released a fixing version (9.0.49). Site owners should update as soon as possible and verify cache invalidation. Even after release, residual cached poisoned content can persist, so purging caches and scanning for injected content is essential.


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Closing notes — a few final recommendations from a WordPress security team

  1. Treat caching and cache keys as security-sensitive. Misconfigured cache keys are a frequent source of cache poisoning problems. Review cache key composition and don’t allow untrusted request headers to influence cache keys.
  2. Virtual patching buys you time — use it wisely. Perimeter rules should be tuned to avoid breaking legitimate traffic and updated when a plugin vendor publishes a permanent fix.
  3. Maintain a simple, repeatable update process (backup → update in staging → sanity checks → push to production). This reduces hesitation to apply security updates quickly.
  4. Log everything. The richer the logs (request headers, response codes, user agents), the faster you can detect and investigate cache-poisoning attempts.
  5. If you manage multiple sites, automate detection (inventory, scanning, and automated updates where safe) — scale matters when vulnerabilities are disclosed.

If you need hands-on assistance, our team (WP-Firewall) offers step-by-step incident guidance, virtual patching, and monitoring. Starting with the free plan enables a quick safety net while you work through testing and updates. Stay safe, and prioritize the plugin update to 9.0.49 as your first step.


References & resources (for administrators)

  • CVE‑2025‑11703 (public advisory record)
  • WP Go Maps plugin changelog (check official plugin page for 9.0.49 release notes)
  • Your hosting provider’s cache/CDN documentation (how to purge edge caches)
  • WordPress hardening guides (passwords, roles, backups, updates)

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