Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2025-23942 is a critical arbitrary file upload issue in the WordPress WP Load Gallery plugin through version 2.1.6. A successful attack could place a dangerous file on the web server, potentially enabling full compromise. The source bundle does not identify a fixed version or active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat this as urgent for any WordPress estate using WP Load Gallery. The business risk is server compromise, data exposure, and service disruption. Prioritize inventory, disablement or removal, and incident review where the plugin is present.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-434: unrestricted upload of a dangerous file type in ngocuct0912 WP Load Gallery. CVSS 3.1 is 9.1 with network access, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, changed scope, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to WordPress sites using the WP Load Gallery plugin, especially versions through 2.1.6. The CVE metadata in the bundle is sparse and internally uneven, so confirm installations directly rather than relying only on asset inventory names.
Exploitation context
The CVE description says the flaw allows upload of a web shell to a web server. However, KEV is false in the supplied bundle, and no cited source in the bundle states active exploitation, public exploit availability, or a confirmed patched release.
Researcher notes
Do not assume broad exposure: the vulnerability requires the specific plugin and high privileges per CVSS. Source evidence does not name a patch. The affected version metadata should be verified against vendor or Patchstack updates because the bundle lists through 2.1.6 but also contains sparse affected-version data.
Mitigation direction
- Identify all WordPress sites running WP Load Gallery.
- Remove or disable WP Load Gallery until vendor guidance confirms a safe version.
- Restrict high-privilege WordPress accounts and review administrator access.
- Monitor upload directories and webroots for unexpected executable files.
- Check CVE Program and Patchstack for updated remediation guidance.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether wp-load-gallery is installed on each WordPress site.
- Record plugin versions and flag versions through 2.1.6.
- Review recent upload activity and web server file changes.
- Check authentication logs for high-privilege account abuse.
- Verify no unexpected executable files exist in upload-accessible paths.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-434: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2025-23942 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.1 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H2.36PatchstackVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.1CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/wp-load-gallery/vulnerability/wordpress-wp-load-gallery-plugin-2-1-6-arbitrary-file-upload-vulnerability?_s_id=cveCVE reference, Patchstack · vdb-entry
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.