CVE-2025-2007: WordPress Plugin Vulnerability Leads to Arbitrary File Deletion and Potential System Compromise

Overview

In the realm of cybersecurity, new vulnerabilities surface regularly, necessitating constant vigilance. In this blog post, we will discuss CVE-2025-2007, a severe vulnerability discovered in the Import Export Suite for CSV and XML Datafeed plugin for WordPress. This plugin, widely used for importing and exporting data in WordPress websites, unfortunately harbors a potent flaw in all versions up to, and including, 7.19, which could have significant repercussions if exploited.
In essence, this vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access and above to delete arbitrary files on the server. This can potentially lead to remote code execution when a crucial file, such as wp-config.php, is deleted. This vulnerability highlights the importance of stringent file path validation and the potentially catastrophic consequences of its absence.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-2007
Severity: High (8.1 CVSS score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low (Subscriber-level access)
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Arbitrary file deletion leading to potential system compromise or data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

Import Export Suite for CSV and XML Datafeed plugin for WordPress | Up to and including 7.19

How the Exploit Works

The vulnerability lies in the deleteImage() function of the Import Export Suite for CSV and XML Datafeed plugin for WordPress. This function does not sufficiently validate file paths, allowing an attacker to specify any file on the server for deletion.
Authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access or above, can exploit this flaw by sending a malicious request to delete arbitrary files on the server. If a critical file such as wp-config.php is deleted, it could allow for remote code execution, potentially compromising the whole system.

Conceptual Example Code

Here’s a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. This example represents a malicious HTTP request to delete the wp-config.php file:

POST /wp-json/wp/v2/posts HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer <valid JWT>
{
"file": "../../../../wp-config.php"
}

In this request, the “file” parameter’s value is a path traversal string that points to the wp-config.php file. The server interprets this as a valid request and proceeds to delete the wp-config.php file, leading to potential system compromise.