Tên plugin	bizcalendar-web
Type of Vulnerability	Local File Inclusion
CVE Number	CVE-2025-7650
Tính cấp bách	Thấp
CVE Publish Date	2025-08-14
Source URL	CVE-2025-7650

Urgent: BizCalendar Web (<= 1.1.0.50) — Authenticated Contributor Local File Inclusion (CVE-2025-7650) and What Site Owners Must Do Now

Tác giả: WP‑Firewall Security Team
Ngày: 2025-08-15

Bản tóm tắt

• Vulnerability: Local File Inclusion (LFI)
• Affected plugin: bizcalendar-web
• Vulnerable versions: <= 1.1.0.50
• Privilege required: authenticated user with Contributor role or higher
• CVE: CVE-2025-7650
• Reported: 14 August 2025
• Official fix: Not available at time of reporting

As the team behind WP‑Firewall, a WordPress application firewall and security service, we track CMS risks closely so site owners can move quickly when a new vulnerability appears. This incident affects a widely used plugin and has real-world impact because the vulnerability allows inclusion of local files under certain authenticated contexts. Below we outline what the vulnerability is, real-world impact, step‑by‑step mitigation and detection guidance, how a Web Application Firewall (WAF) helps, and recommended post‑incident actions.

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What is Local File Inclusion (LFI) and why does it matter?

Local File Inclusion (LFI) is a class of vulnerability where a web application accepts a file path as input and includes (reads and processes) that file within the server context without proper validation or sanitization. When an attacker can influence the path, they may read sensitive files (for example wp-config.php) or chain the vulnerability into remote code execution under certain configurations.

Key impacts:

• Disclosure of secrets (database credentials, salts, API keys)
• Exposure of user data and configuration files
• Pivot to further attack techniques (e.g., using disclosed DB credentials to access the database offsite, or leveraging other misconfigurations to achieve code execution)
• Site compromise and data theft

This specific report indicates that the bizcalendar-web plugin versions up to 1.1.0.50 contain an LFI that is exploitable by an authenticated user with the Contributor role or higher. The requirement for authentication reduces the immediate risk compared to unauthenticated flaws, but because Contributor accounts are common on multi-author sites or on sites where user roles were incorrectly assigned, this vulnerability still deserves fast action.

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The mechanics of this vulnerability (high-level)

• The plugin exposes functionality that accepts file path input (either via a query parameter, form data, or internal include logic).
• Input is not properly sanitized or normalized, which allows directory traversal sequences or local path selection.
• An authenticated user (Contributor+) can supply crafted input to include arbitrary files from the local filesystem.
• The included file content is returned/rendered or otherwise exposed to the requester, revealing contents of configuration files, logs, or other sensitive files.

We intentionally avoid publishing proof‑of‑concept exploit details here. If you’re a site owner or security professional, treat this classification as actionable and proceed to mitigation.

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Who is at risk?

• Sites running the vulnerable plugin versions (<= 1.1.0.50).
• Sites that allow Contributor or higher-level user registration without strict vetting.
• Multi-author blogs, editorial platforms, or sites that allow external contributors.
• Sites that have not hardened file permissions or rotated secrets recently.

If you run the plugin, assume risk until you take corrective steps. Even if you believe your site has no Contributors, double-check roles, password strength, and whether any account has been elevated.

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Immediate actions (0–48 hours)

If you manage a WordPress site, follow these steps immediately. Do KHÔNG delay.

1. Inventory and confirm:
   • Identify whether your site uses bizcalendar-web and check the plugin version.
   • On WP admin > Plugins, look for the plugin slug or check via SFTP/SSH: wp-content/plugins/bizcalendar-web/**.
2. If you run a vulnerable version:
   • Deactivate the plugin immediately if you can tolerate the functionality loss.
   • If the plugin is essential for live functionality and deactivation is not possible, move to step 3 immediately and enable WAF virtual patching (see WP‑Firewall section below).
3. Rotate secrets:
   • Rotate your database credentials (change DB user password in MySQL and update wp-config.php).
   • Rotate any third‑party API keys saved in the plugin or your WP site.
   • Generate new salts for AUTH_KEY, SECURE_AUTH_KEY, etc., and add to wp-config.php.
4. Limit and audit user access:
   • Revoke Contributor or higher privileges for untrusted users.
   • Temporarily remove or downgrade all Contributors until the issue is resolved.
   • Enforce strong passwords and enable multi‑factor authentication for admins and editors.
5. File permissions & server hardening:
   • Ensure wp-config.php is not web‑accessible (e.g., block direct access via webserver).
   • Enforce least privilege on filesystem: WordPress files should be owned by the webserver user with minimally required write permissions.
   • Disable directory listing on your server.
6. Backup and snapshot:
   • Take a full site backup (files + database) and store it offline.
   • If on cloud hosting, snapshot the server so you can perform forensic analysis if needed.
7. Monitor logs:
   • Start actively monitoring webserver and application logs for suspicious access to plugin endpoints and for indicators listed in the next section.

These steps reduce risk and help prepare for an incident response if exploitation was attempted.

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Indicators of Compromise (what to look for)

Look for the following signs in logs, database, and file system:

• Unusual requests targeting plugin endpoints or unknown PHP endpoints under wp-content/plugins/bizcalendar-web/.
• Requests containing traversal patterns (../) or suspicious path segments that attempt to access wp-config.php, .env, or files in /etc/.
• Sudden spikes in GET/POST requests from authenticated user accounts (Contributor or similar) and unusual times of access.
• Unexpected content exposure pages that show file content or configuration lines.
• New or modified administrator accounts, unauthorized user changes, or unexpected plugin upgrades.
• Unfamiliar scheduled tasks (cron entries in DB wp_options) or unexpected file writes under wp-content/uploads/ (a sign of attempted persistence).

If you detect suspicious activity, preserve logs and take your site offline if necessary for forensics.

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Longer‑term mitigation and hardening (recommended checklist)

• Remove or replace unmaintained plugins. If a plugin has no active fixes and no responsible vendor response, remove it or replace with an actively maintained alternative.
• Enforce least privilege: audit roles and capabilities, minimize the number of accounts with Contributor+ roles.
• Use SFTP/SSH access keys for file changes and disable file editing in WP by setting define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true) in wp-config.php.
• Host / database segmentation: avoid reusing the same database credentials across multiple sites.
• Secure backups: keep off-site, immutable backups with versioning.
• Apply principle of defense in depth: file system restrictions, web server hardening, WAF in front, strict CSP and headers, and continuous monitoring.
• Maintain an inventory of plugins and themes and check software versions regularly.
• Use automated scanning and patching workflows for plugins and themes.

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How a WAF helps (and what to configure in WP-Firewall)

A well‑configured Web Application Firewall reduces risk by blocking exploit attempts and providing virtual patching while you wait for an official fix. Here’s how you should configure WP‑Firewall to mitigate this LFI risk immediately:

1. Enable Managed WAF Ruleset
   Activate the WAF module and apply managed rules for CMS‑related LFI and path traversal patterns.
   Make sure the WAF is set to block (not only alert) for high‑confidence LFI signatures.
2. Virtual patching / mitigation
   If a virtual patch for CVE‑2025‑7650 is available in WP‑Firewall, enable it. Virtual patching prevents exploitation by intercepting malicious requests before they reach the plugin code.
3. Input filtering
   Block requests containing typical traversal payloads: “../”, “..%2F”, “/etc/passwd”, “wp-config.php”, and null byte patterns.
   Enforce strict rules on plugin-specific endpoints (e.g., only allow expected HTTP methods, only accept requests from logged‑in users with required CSRF tokens).
4. Rate limiting and anomaly detection
   Enable strict rate limits for authenticated user requests to plugin endpoints.
   Use behavioral rules to flag or block users that request file paths repeatedly.
5. Hardening headers and protections
   Add Web server rules to prevent direct access to sensitive files (deny access to wp-config.php, .env).
   Block direct PHP file access inside the uploads folder.
6. Logging and alerting
   Ensure WAF logging is enabled and integrated with your SIEM or email alerts.
   Configure email/SMS alerts for blocked exploitation attempts and new rule matches.
7. Temporary positive‑whitelisting of admin IPs
   If possible, lock down plugin admin endpoints so only known admin IPs can reach them while the issue is unresolved.

WP‑Firewall provides these controls as part of its managed firewall and WAF offering — enabling them immediately gives you an effective virtual barrier while you complete other steps in the checklist above.

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Suggested WAF rule patterns (conceptual — do not paste into production without testing)

Below are conceptual rule ideas a WAF should enforce to mitigate LFI risks. This is not an exhaustive rule set, but examples your firewall should be prepared to implement:

• Block requests with suspicious file traversal indicators in parameters: if uri_args or post_body contain “../” or encoded traversal equivalents, block.
• Block any request containing the string “wp-config.php” or “.env” in parameters or request body.
• Whitelist only known actions or parameters for the plugin endpoints; drop unknown parameters.
• Drop requests that pass a file path to include-like parameters (filename, template, view, include, path) unless matched against a strict allowlist.
• Enforce that sensitive endpoints require a valid CSRF token and originate from the site domain (referer check).
• Rate limit authenticated users to plugin endpoints (e.g., no more than N requests per minute).

A WAF vendor like WP‑Firewall can create, test and deploy such rules for you quickly, including rolling back if rules cause site breakage.

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How to safely test whether your site is protected

Never test exploitation on a production site.

1. Clone your site to a staging environment (files + database snapshot).
2. Apply threat signatures / WAF rules on staging first.
3. Use simulated attack traffic that imitates traversal patterns, ensuring the WAF blocks them and does not break legitimate functionality.
4. Validate user workflows — especially those for Contributors — to ensure no false positives block normal operations.
5. After confirming in staging, gradually roll protection onto production during a maintenance window.

If you don’t have a staging environment, enable WAF in monitoring mode first and watch for blocked attempts before switching to blocking mode.

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If you suspect compromise — an incident response playbook

1. Isolate:
   • Put the site in maintenance mode or temporarily take it offline to prevent further data exfiltration.
   • Disable the vulnerable plugin immediately.
2. Preserve evidence:
   • Preserve logs (web server, WAF, database, FTP/SFTP).
   • Make a full copy of the site and database for forensic analysis.
3. Rotate secrets:
   • Reset DB passwords, API keys, and WordPress salts immediately.
   • Force password resets for all users. Consider invalidating all logged sessions (update user meta or use a plugin).
4. Scan for indicators:
   • Look for webshells, modified PHP files, new scheduled tasks, or modified cron entries in the database (wp_options).
   • Search uploads and plugin folders for recently modified or suspicious files.
5. Clean and restore:
   • If you can confidently remove malicious code and confirm integrity, clean the site and monitor.
   • If uncertain, restore from a known clean backup taken before the compromise and harden the site first.
6. Post‑incident:
   • Report the incident to your hosting provider and, if applicable, to relevant stakeholders.
   • Improve logging, monitoring, and patching cadence to prevent recurrence.

For complex compromises, engage a professional incident response team.

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Communicating to your team and contributors

• Notify site stakeholders about the vulnerability and the temporary measures you’ve taken (plugin deactivated, forced password resets).
• Ask all contributors to change their passwords to strong, unique ones and to enable two‑factor authentication where possible.
• Remind contributors not to upload arbitrary files and to follow content submission guidelines.
• If your site allows external contributors, enforce an invitation/approval workflow for new accounts.

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Why plugin maintainers and site owners should act fast

LFI vulnerabilities are attractive to attackers because they often require little technical complexity and can yield high-value targets: configuration files and credentials. Even when exploitation requires authentication, automated credential stuffing and account enumeration campaigns are common. Fast remediation prevents opportunistic attackers from gaining a foothold in your site, your hosting environment, or downstream systems that share credentials.

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How WP‑Firewall can help you now

As the team behind WP‑Firewall, we recommend these immediate protections for customers and site owners:

• Enable the Basic (Free) plan to get essential protection: managed firewall, unlimited bandwidth, WAF coverage, malware scanner, and mitigation for OWASP Top 10 risks. This will immediately harden exposure to common LFI techniques and help detect suspicious activity.
• For sites that need automatic cleanup and enhanced controls, upgrading to Standard or Pro plans adds automatic malware removal, IP blacklist/whitelist management, monthly security reports, and automatic virtual patching for newly discovered vulnerabilities.
• Use WP‑Firewall’s virtual patching to block exploit traffic targeting plugin endpoints until an official plugin update is available or until you remove the plugin.
• Our 24/7 monitoring will flag attempts to exploit plugin paths and notify you immediately.

We configure and test WAF rules carefully to reduce false positives while prioritizing site safety. If you need assistance, our support team can advise on rule tuning for your templates and workflows.

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Recommended routine after mitigation

• Reinstall or update the plugin only after the vendor releases an official fix. If no fix is released, replace the plugin with a secure, actively maintained alternative.
• Maintain a monthly patch cycle for all plugins, themes and WordPress core.
• Schedule periodic incident response drills and run regular vulnerability scans.
• Keep an inventory of third‑party plugins and track their maintenance status.

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New plan highlight: Get started with WP‑Firewall Basic (Free)

Protect Your Site Quickly — Start with WP‑Firewall Basic (Free)

If you want essential protection immediately, WP‑Firewall Basic (Free) provides managed firewall protection, an up‑to‑date WAF, unlimited bandwidth, a malware scanner, and mitigation for OWASP Top 10 risks — everything you need to reduce exposure to exploits like this LFI. Sign up for the free tier and enable core protections right away:

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Switching on Basic protection will get blocking rules in place fast and give you breathing room to apply rotation, backups and deeper remediation without exposing your site to automated attacks.

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Final thoughts from WP‑Firewall Security Team

This LFI report is a reminder that plugin security remains one of the highest operational risks for WordPress sites. The path from vulnerability disclosure to exploit is often measured in hours, so treat reports involving local file inclusion seriously — even when they require authentication. If you use bizcalendar-web, follow the immediate steps above: deactivate if possible, rotate secrets, limit Contributor roles, and enable WAF virtual patching.

Our team at WP‑Firewall is ready to help you protect and restore your site. If you need assistance implementing temporary mitigations, reviewing logs for suspicious activity, or enabling virtual patching, our support channels are available to guide you through the next steps.

Stay safe, stay vigilant, and keep your site’s attack surface as small as possible.

— WP‑Firewall Security Team

Further reading and resources (recommended)

• WordPress hardening guide (official checklist)
• OWASP Top 10 (understand the threat categories)
• Backup and incident response best practices

If you need a hand configuring WP‑Firewall protections or want a security review, visit our site or sign up for Basic (Free) protection at: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/