Nome do plugin	IDonatePro
Type of Vulnerability	Access Control
CVE Number	CVE-2025-30639
Urgência	Alto
CVE Publish Date	2025-08-08
Source URL	CVE-2025-30639

Urgent: IDonatePro (<= 2.1.9) Broken Access Control (CVE-2025-30639) — What WordPress Site Owners Must Do Now

Update (08 Aug 2025): A high‑severity broken access control vulnerability affecting the IDonatePro WordPress plugin (versions <= 2.1.9) was publicly disclosed and assigned CVE‑2025‑30639. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to perform actions that should require authorization. At the time of publication there is no vendor‑released patch. We strongly recommend immediate mitigation.

As the team behind WP‑Firewall, a WordPress firewall & security provider, we’re issuing practical, prioritized guidance so you can protect your sites right now. This post explains what this vulnerability means, who’s at risk, how attackers may exploit it, and—critically—what to do immediately to reduce your exposure.

Note: This post is written for WordPress site owners, administrators, and security conscious developers. It avoids exploit code and provides defensive steps you can apply safely.

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Executive summary (what you need to know right away)

• A broken access control vulnerability in IDonatePro (<= 2.1.9) is publicly documented and tracked as CVE‑2025‑30639.
• Required privilege: Unauthenticated — an attacker does not need to log in to trigger the issue.
• Severity: High — Patch prioritization: High (CVSS 7.5 as reported).
• Official fix: Not available at time of disclosure.
• Immediate mitigations: Remove or disable the plugin if you do not need it, restrict access to the plugin’s endpoints via a firewall, apply rule‑based virtual patching (WAF), and monitor logs for suspicious activity.
• If your site may already be compromised follow incident response steps outlined below.

If you manage WordPress at scale, apply protections across your fleet immediately (see the “enterprise/agency checklist” later in this post).

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About the vulnerability in plain language

Broken access control means the plugin allows certain privileged actions to happen without validating that the requester has the proper rights. In this case the researcher reported that a function or endpoint included in IDonatePro lacks the necessary authorization, authentication, or nonce checks. Because the vulnerability is exploitable without authentication, attackers can interact with the plugin remotely and trigger actions that should be restricted.

Broken access control vulnerabilities are dangerous because they bypass the normal gatekeepers (logged-in status, capability checks, nonces) that prevent abuse. Depending on which functions are exposed, impacts can range from data disclosure to site takeover.

Research credit: Tran Nguyen Bao Khanh (VCI – VNPT Cyber Immunity). CVE‑2025‑30639.

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Who is affected?

• Sites running the IDonatePro plugin in version 2.1.9 or earlier.
• Sites where IDonatePro is installed but unused are still at risk because the vulnerable code is present and can be invoked.
• Multisite networks where IDonatePro is active on any network site (the attack surface depends on how the plugin registers endpoints and actions).

If you’re not using IDonatePro, confirm it is not installed. If you are using it, treat the plugin as high risk until an official update is available.

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Why this is urgent

• Unauthenticated exploitation: An attacker does not need to authenticate.
• No official patch: With no vendor fix released, websites remain exposed.
• Automation potential: Broken access control bugs are straightforward to automate, making mass exploitation likely once PoCs circulate.
• High CVSS ranking (7.5) reflects the combined impact and likelihood.

Even small or low‑traffic sites are attractive targets because attackers often automate attacks against known vulnerabilities to build botnets, plant SEO spam, steal user data, or pivot to other parts of an infrastructure.

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What attackers could do (potential impacts)

Exact impacts depend on which internal functions are reachable without proper checks. Typical consequences of broken access control in plugins include:

• Triggering privileged plugin actions remotely (e.g., changing plugin options, creating or deleting content that the plugin manages).
• Uploading or modifying files if the plugin exposes endpoints that handle file data.
• Inserting malicious configuration or redirect rules.
• Obtaining sensitive plugin configuration data (API keys, webhook URLs, secrets).
• Performing cross‑site actions that may help chain into an account takeover or code execution.

Because exploitation requires no authentication, attackers can probe reachable endpoints with automated requests and exploit many sites quickly.

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Immediate actions (priority order)

Follow these steps in order. The first ones are the fastest to reduce risk.

1. Inventory and identify
   • Confirm which sites have IDonatePro installed and which version is active.
   • If you run managed hosting, ask your host to provide a list of installations with that plugin.
2. Disable or remove the plugin (recommended if you can)
   • If the plugin is not essential, deactivate and delete it from every affected site.
   • If you temporarily remove the plugin but still need its functionality, consider replacing it with a safe alternative or a custom, minimal implementation.
3. Apply firewall rules / virtual patching
   • If you cannot remove the plugin immediately, put an application firewall (WAF) rule that blocks access to the plugin’s endpoints for unauthenticated users.
   • Block or restrict requests to plugin files and admin endpoints that are not meant to be public.
4. Restrict access to plugin endpoints
   • Use server‑level access controls (nginx/Apache) or security plugin rules to limit access by IP, require authentication for specific URLs, or block suspicious request methods.
5. Scan and monitor
   • Run a full site malware scan and compare file hashes to clean copies (if available).
   • Monitor webserver and application logs for unusual POSTs, admin‑ajax requests, or requests to plugin paths from unknown IPs.
6. Change credentials and secrets (if compromise suspected)
   • Rotate administrator passwords and any API keys or secrets stored in plugin settings.
   • Force logout for all users and reset sessions where possible.
7. Prepare for incident response
   • If you detect compromise indicators (see below), isolate affected sites and follow a containment and recovery plan (detailed later).

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How to mitigate using firewall rules (virtual patching)

If an official plugin update is not available yet, a well‑configured WAF can block the most likely exploitation attempts. Virtual patching protects your site by filtering malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable code.

Important: do not rely on a single control. Combine WAF rules with removal or server access restrictions where possible.

Below are defensive rule concepts you can translate to your WAF or server configuration. These are safe, defensive patterns — they avoid publishing exploit payloads, and instead focus on reducing attack surface.

1. Block unauthenticated requests to plugin admin actions and AJAX endpoints
   Pattern: deny requests to plugin PHP files or AJAX actions that either require authentication or are known to be managed by the plugin, if the request lacks a valid auth cookie or nonce.

   Pseudo‑rule (conceptual):

   IF request.path matches /wp-content/plugins/idonatepro/.*\.php
   AND request.cookies does NOT include WordPress logged_in cookie
   THEN block request (return 403)
   

2. Require nonce token for requests that modify plugin state
   Pattern: enforce presence and validity of WP nonces for requests that use POST to change data.

   Concept:

   IF request.method is POST
   AND request.path contains /idonatepro/
   AND request.POST does NOT contain _wpnonce
   THEN block request
   

3. Rate limit and fingerprint suspicious probes
   Pattern: throttle burst requests that target plugin endpoints from a single IP or user agent.

   IF more than X requests to /wp-content/plugins/idonatepro/ from same IP in Y seconds
   THEN temporarily block/ban IP
   

4. Block known malicious user agents and payload characteristics
   Pattern: deny requests containing typical exploit payload headers or suspicious parameter names used by automated scanners.
5. Restrict access to plugin admin files by IP (if you have a fixed admin management IP range)
   nginx example:

   location ~* /wp-content/plugins/idonatepro/ {
       allow 203.0.113.0/24;   # Replace with your admin IPs
       deny all;
   }
   

   Caveat: applying server rules requires testing—ensure legitimate traffic isn’t blocked. Always test in staging where possible.

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Detection: what to look for in your logs

• POST requests to plugin files under /wp-content/plugins/idonatepro/ or to admin-ajax.php with parameters referencing the plugin.
• Requests that target unexpected actions (e.g., ?action=idonate_pro_update or similar) originating from unknown IPs.
• Requests that omit typical WordPress cookies (wordpress_logged_in_*), indicating unauthenticated access to admin-like endpoints.
• Sudden spikes of 404/403 patterns around plugin paths.
• New or modified plugin files, added backdoors, unfamiliar admin users, or database entries created around the time of unusual requests.

Check both access logs (webserver) and WordPress debug logs. If you host multiple sites, centralize logs for easier correlation.

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If you suspect your site has been compromised

Follow these steps immediately:

1. Put the site in maintenance mode or isolate it from public traffic to prevent further abuse.
2. Take a full backup of files and the database for forensic analysis (store offline).
3. Change all administrator passwords, API keys, and credentials. Force all users to reauthenticate.
4. Scan for malware and indicators of compromise:
   • Look for new PHP files in uploads or plugin directories.
   • Check for modified core files or unknown cron jobs.
   • Inspect the wp_options table for malicious entries (malicious redirects, obfuscated code).
5. Remove the vulnerable plugin (if not already done) and replace it with a safe alternative.
6. Rebuild from a clean backup if you cannot guarantee full cleanup.
7. When recovered, perform a root cause analysis to understand how the attacker gained access (and patch that gap).

If your hosting provider or a trusted security provider offers incident response services, engage them—especially for complex intrusions.

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Hardening recommendations to reduce similar risks

• Minimize plugins: only install actively maintained plugins with a clear update history and support.
• Principle of least privilege: give users only the capabilities they need; avoid using administrator accounts for daily tasks.
• Keep WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated and subscribe to vulnerability alerts.
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) for virtual patching and anomaly detection.
• Enforce strong authentication: enable multi‑factor authentication (MFA) for all admin accounts.
• Secure file permissions: disable direct PHP execution in wp-content/uploads when possible.
• Use nonces and capability checks: plugin developers must validate capabilities (current_user_can) and verify_wp_nonce in all action handlers.
• Regularly audit access logs and scheduled tasks (cron) for suspicious changes.

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Advice for plugin developers (how this should be fixed)

If you’re a developer maintaining IDonatePro or similar plugins, take these steps immediately:

1. Identify all public endpoints and action handlers (admin‑ajax hooks, REST routes, custom query vars, direct PHP files).
2. For every action that modifies state or exposes sensitive data:
   • Ensure capability checks (current_user_can) are present and appropriate.
   • Ensure nonces are checked for user‑initiated requests where applicable (wp_verify_nonce).
   • For REST API endpoints, use proper permission callbacks (permission_callback).
3. Avoid accepting unauthenticated requests for administrative actions; if anonymous interactions are required, design explicit and secure flows (e.g., ephemeral tokens, signed requests).
4. Sanitize and validate all input.
5. Publish a security advisory with mitigation steps and provide an update path for users.
6. Coordinate responsible disclosure and provide patches or upgrade paths quickly.

Plugin teams should prioritize an emergency patch release for vulnerabilities like this.

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Timeline & disclosure (public facts)

• Researcher: Tran Nguyen Bao Khanh (VCI – VNPT Cyber Immunity) reported the issue.
• Reported: early June 2025 (initial researcher contact).
• Publication/alert: August 2025.
• CVE: CVE‑2025‑30639.
• Fixed version: N/A at time of writing.

We will update this post as vendor fixes and disclosures are released.

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Enterprise & managed hosting checklist (for agencies and hosts)

• Immediately identify and patch or virtual‑patch across all client sites.
• Mass‑scan for presence of IDonatePro and report to customers with installation details and recommended next steps.
• If you offer managed WAFs, push virtual patch rules blocking unauthenticated access to the plugin endpoints.
• Offer incident response to any customers showing elevated risk signals or indicators of compromise.
• Keep clients informed with a timeline for remediation and post‑incident verification.

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Why a firewall & virtual patching matters here

When a vendor patch is not yet available, virtual patching via a WAF is the fastest way to stop attacks in the wild. A properly tuned WAF can:

• Block unauthenticated access to risky plugin endpoints.
• Throttle scanning and exploitation attempts.
• Detect exploit attempts and provide early alerts so you can investigate.

WP‑Firewall has a proven approach for deploying targeted virtual patches to stop exploitation while customers prepare to update or remove affected plugins. (See our sign‑up paragraph below for a free protection option.)

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Example: safe, non‑destructive WAF rule set (conceptual)

The following are high‑level templates. Implement in your WAF or server config with care.

1. Block public access to plugin admin scripts:

   # Conceptual (translate to your WAF or nginx rules)
   Block requests where:
     - URI matches ^/wp-content/plugins/idonatepro/(admin|includes|controllers)/.*\.php$
     - AND request does NOT contain wp_logged_in cookie
   Action: Return 403
   

2. Enforce nonce for POSTs to plugin endpoints:

   If Method == POST and URI contains /idonatepro/
     If _wpnonce not present OR nonce invalid
       Block request (403)
   

3. Rate limit probes:

   If requests to /wp-content/plugins/idonatepro/ exceed 10 requests per minute from same IP
     Temporarily throttle or IP block for 15 minutes
   

These are defensive examples. Avoid copying exploit payloads or building allowlists that accidentally permit malicious traffic. Test rules in detect mode before enforce where possible.

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Frequently asked questions

Q: Should I wait for the vendor patch?
A: No. If you have IDonatePro installed, take immediate action now: disable the plugin or apply firewall mitigation. Waiting exposes you to automated attacks.

Q: What if I rely on the plugin for donations?
A: If the plugin is essential, investigate temporarily restricting access to donation management endpoints to a small IP range or authenticated users only. Consider deploying a safe temporary alternative or a custom form integrated with a trusted payment provider.

Q: Can I keep the plugin but hide it?
A: Hiding the plugin (security by obscurity) is not a reliable mitigation. Remove or block access to vulnerable code paths or apply virtual patching.

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If you want our team to help

If you run a site and want us to check configuration, push virtual patches, or help with incident response, our support team can assist. We offer managed services for virtual patching, scanning, and ongoing protection.

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Protect Your Site Today: Start with WP‑Firewall’s Free Plan

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• Essential protection: managed firewall, unlimited bandwidth, WAF, malware scanner, and mitigation of OWASP Top 10 risks.

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Sign up, enable the WAF, and we’ll help place protective rules for this specific vulnerability as part of the onboarding.

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Final words — prioritized checklist (one‑page quick actions)

1. Identify all sites with IDonatePro (<=2.1.9).
2. If non‑essential: deactivate and delete the plugin immediately.
3. If essential: apply WAF rules blocking unauthenticated access to plugin endpoints and rate limit probes.
4. Monitor logs for suspicious activity related to plugin paths.
5. Rotate admin credentials and API keys if suspicious activity is detected.
6. Scan for malware and backdoors; restore from clean backups if needed.
7. Keep an eye out for vendor patches and apply updates as soon as released.
8. Consider signing up for managed virtual patching if patches are delayed.

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We will update this post as new vendor patches are released or when additional technical details become available. If you need assistance implementing mitigation rules, configuring your WAF, or performing a security review, contact our support team through your WP‑Firewall dashboard or sign up for our Basic plan at: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/

Fique seguro,
The WP‑Firewall Security Team