Critical Security Alert: “Image Comparison Addon for Elementor” Vulnerability (CVE-2025-10896) — Immediate Actions for WordPress Administrators

Executive summary: A critical authorization bypass flaw (CVE-2025-10896) impacts versions up to 1.0.2.2 of the Image Comparison Addon for Elementor plugin. This vulnerability permits authenticated users at the Subscriber level to upload arbitrary plugin packages, effectively bypassing WordPress privilege restrictions. Since uploaded plugins can contain executable PHP backdoors, attackers can gain persistent remote code execution, leading to full site compromise. No official patch exists yet. This authoritative analysis from Managed-WP security experts outlines the risk assessment, signs of compromise, immediate mitigation measures, and how Managed-WP’s advanced virtual patching can shield your sites until a vendor fix is available.

Who must take action?

• All WordPress sites utilizing Elementor with the Image Comparison Addon plugin (versions ≤ 1.0.2.2).
• Sites that permit Subscriber-level or equivalent registrations without strict vetting.
• Hosting providers and agencies managing multiple WordPress instances, where lateral attacks could escalate rapidly.

Why this is high risk: Allowing low-privilege users to upload plugin ZIP packages breaks core WordPress security models. Malicious actors can embed PHP backdoors, create unauthorized admin accounts, or execute arbitrary code maintaining long-term access. With a CVSS of 8.8 (High), immediate mitigation is mandatory.

Technical overview of the vulnerability

This vulnerability stems from broken access control at plugin endpoints responsible for handling plugin uploads.

Specifically:

• The plugin exposes an AJAX or REST endpoint that accepts multipart file uploads but omits vital capability checks (e.g., current_user_can( 'install_plugins' )) and nonce validation.
• Uploaded ZIP files are stored and extracted directly into wp-content/plugins/ without verifying the uploader’s privileges.
• Subscriber-level accounts, which many sites allow for community features, can exploit this to inject malicious plugins.

Potential attack chain:

1. An attacker authenticates as a Subscriber (via registration or compromised account).
2. They craft and send a multipart POST to the vulnerable upload endpoint, including a malicious plugin ZIP containing executable PHP payloads.
3. The server unpacks this malicious plugin into the plugins directory.
4. The attacker triggers plugin activation through various methods (manual or automated), achieving remote code execution and persistent control.

Note: Depending on site setup, simple placement can suffice if the plugin auto-loads, otherwise activation or additional exploits facilitate code execution.

Indicators of Compromise (IoCs): Detect Potential Exploitation

Be vigilant for these warning signs:

• Unexpected new plugin folders inside wp-content/plugins/.
• ZIP archives appearing in wp-content/uploads/ or temporary directories with recent modification dates.
• Presence of PHP files within upload directories (which should generally only contain media).
• New or suspicious admin/editor accounts created without authorization.
• Unexplained changes to core files like wp-config.php or the active theme.
• Irregular cron jobs or scheduled tasks detected via WP-CLI or backend inspection.
• Repeated multipart/form-data POST requests to AJAX or custom plugin endpoints logged from subscriber-level users.
• File permission anomalies, odd ownership, or executable flags on suspicious files.
• Unusual spikes in site resource usage linked temporally to file upload events.

If any indicators appear, treat your site as compromised and enact the recommended incident response protocols immediately.

Immediate Mitigation Steps: Act Now

Prioritize the following risk reduction steps:

1. Remove or deactivate the vulnerable plugin
   • If patching is unavailable, remove the Image Comparison Addon for Elementor plugin immediately.
   • Temporarily disable new user registrations to prevent further subscriber account creation.
2. Restrict Subscriber role capabilities
   • Limit subscriber access to admin-ajax.php and REST endpoints handling uploads.
   • Use role management tools or WP-CLI to ensure subscribers lack plugin installation or upload permissions.
3. Enforce strict file permissions
   • Confirm plugin directories cannot be modified by unauthorized processes; typical permissions: files 640 or 644, directories 750 or 755.
4. Audit plugin directories for unexpected changes
   • Run commands such as find wp-content/plugins -maxdepth 2 -type d -mtime -7 to find recent changes and quarantine suspicious files.
5. Rotate all credentials and keys
   • Reset all admin passwords.
   • Regenerate authentication salts in wp-config.php from a trusted machine.
   • Replace exposed API keys and integrations.
6. Scan for malware and webshells
   • Deploy comprehensive malware scanners (host and plugin-based), and consider external professional scans if suspicious activity persists.
7. Restore from clean backups if compromised
   • If intrusion is confirmed, restore from clean backups prior to breach date.
   • Apply hardening before bringing the site back online.
8. Disable file editing within WordPress

   define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);
   define('DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true); // Prevents plugin/theme installations & updates via dashboard
   

9. Monitor logs and configure alerting
   • Enable detailed server access and error logging.
   • Set alerts for file upload attempts, modifications to plugin directories, and suspicious POST requests.

Long-Term Security Measures: Strengthen Your Defenses

• Adhere to least privilege principles; review custom role capabilities to avoid over-permission.
• Restrict or tightly control user registrations using CAPTCHAs, email verification, and manual approval.
• In custom plugins or code, implement nonces and user capability checks on all AJAX/REST endpoints:
  • check_ajax_referer( 'your_action_nonce', 'security' );
  • if ( ! current_user_can( 'install_plugins' ) ) { wp_die( 'Forbidden' ); }
• Limit file uploads to safe MIME types; disallow executables; prefer server-side image conversion.
• Prevent execution of PHP in wp-content/uploads/ via server config (.htaccess or Nginx rules):
• Apache example in wp-content/uploads/.htaccess:

  <FilesMatch "\.php$">
    Deny from all
  </FilesMatch>
  

• Nginx: disallow PHP execution under /wp-content/uploads/ location block.
• Maintain current versions of WordPress core, themes, and plugins.
• Leverage integrity monitoring to detect file changes in plugins and themes.
• Use isolated server accounts and employ strict SSH access policies.

Managed-WP’s Advanced Protection Capabilities

Managed-WP delivers robust virtual patching and firewall protections designed to shield WordPress sites—even before official vendor patches are released.

• Virtual Patching & Rule Enforcement
  • Configured rules block suspicious multipart POST requests from Subscriber accounts targeting the vulnerable upload endpoints.
  • Signatures detect ZIP uploads containing plugin headers or PHP files inside archives.
• Role and Capability-aware Filtering
  • The firewall dynamically assesses authenticated user roles, allowing legitimate admin plugin uploads but blocking unsubscribed user attempts.
• Upload and File Operation Controls
  • Prevents unauthorized writes to wp-content/plugins/ and intercepts unpacking actions triggered by frontend calls.
• Nonce & Request Validation
  • Ensures valid nonce tokens are present for sensitive requests and denies any lacking proper authorization.
• Anomaly Detection & Rate Limiting
  • Monitors suspicious upload behaviors, including bulk ZIP submissions or PHP-containing uploads, with automated alerting and rate limits.
• Post-Attack Detection & Rapid Response
  • Detects unexpected plugin folder creation or PHP files post-event; supports automatic rollback and isolation modes.

Deploy Managed-WP’s managed ruleset immediately to neutralize risks associated with this vulnerability and maintain site integrity during patch rollouts.

Sample WAF Rule Concepts for Tech Teams

• Block multipart POSTs to plugin upload endpoints from non-admin users uploading ZIP files.
• Deny install or upload plugin actions missing valid nonces.
• Prevent uploads of files with .php, .phtml, or similar extensions, even inside ZIP archives.
• Scan ZIP contents server-side for malicious payloads prior to extraction.
• Pseudocode example:

  If HTTP_METHOD == POST
   AND Content-Type contains multipart/form-data
   AND URI matches plugin upload endpoints
   AND uploaded file ends with .zip
   AND user role == Subscriber or lacks install_plugins capability
  THEN block request and log with user and IP
  

Effective WAF implementations combine multiple signals from headers, body content, sessions, and roles to minimize false positives while maximizing protection.

Incident Response Playbook for Suspected Exploitation

1. Isolate the site
   • Activate maintenance mode or restrict external access.
   • Create a full server snapshot for forensic purposes.
2. Assess scope
   • Investigate logs and timestamps to pinpoint initial compromise.
   • Identify affected files and users.
3. Contain damage
   • Remove suspicious plugins or quarantine immediately.
   • Reset admin passwords and terminate all sessions.
   • Revoke exposed API keys.
4. Eradicate threats
   • Eliminate malicious files or restore from a clean backup.
   • Remove or address vulnerable plugins to close attack vectors.
5. Recover operations
   • Carefully bring the site back online after thorough verification.
   • Monitor continuously for recurrence or anomalies.
6. Post-incident review
   • Analyze root causes and improve defenses accordingly.
   • Implement virtual patching, improve role hardening, and enhance upload filtering.

If internal expertise is insufficient, engage certified incident responders promptly to avoid prolonged or repeated compromise.

Why Virtual Patching Matters When Official Fixes Are Delayed

In the absence of an official patch, virtual patching offers rapid, non-intrusive protection by blocking exploitation attempts at the application perimeter. Benefits include:

• Immediate threat mitigation without waiting for plugin updates.
• Low-risk, reversible rules applied at the firewall level.
• Protection of large numbers of sites simultaneously—ideal for agencies and hosts.
• Time to plan safe, comprehensive updates, backups, and remediation strategies.

Managed-WP’s virtual patching rules are tailored to stop broken access control exploits, safeguarding your infrastructure while vendors prepare fixes.

FAQs

Q: Is removing the vulnerable plugin sufficient?
A: Removing the plugin eliminates the vulnerable upload endpoint but does not remove any malicious payloads already installed. A full audit and cleanup are necessary.

Q: How can a Subscriber upload plugins when WordPress normally restricts this?
A: The flaw lies in the plugin’s failure to enforce standard capability checks on its upload endpoints.

Q: Does disabling user registrations fully protect my site?
A: It helps prevent future subscriber accounts from exploiting the bug but does not address existing compromised accounts or malicious files.

Vulnerability Timeline & Analysis

• Disclosure Date: November 4, 2025
• Vulnerability Type: Authorization Bypass (Broken Access Control)
• CVSS Score: 8.8 (High)
• Patch Status: No official patch available as of disclosure

This vulnerability’s combination of ease of exploitation and common subscriber usage demands urgent attention from all affected sites.

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Recommended Next Steps Within 48 Hours

1. Verify and remove/deactivate vulnerable Image Comparison Addon versions (≤ 1.0.2.2).
2. Temporarily disable or enforce stringent controls on user registrations.
3. Conduct comprehensive scans for unknown plugins and suspicious PHP files.
4. Apply DISALLOW_FILE_MODS and disable file editing in core WordPress config.
5. Deploy Managed-WP’s virtual patch or comparable WAF rules immediately.
6. Rotate admin credentials and security keys; monitor logs consistently.
7. Consider Managed-WP Basic to add immediate protection during remediation.

For professional assistance with incident response, custom rule configuration, or virtual patch deployment, contact Managed-WP’s security team. Our experts provide tailored remediation, proactive monitoring, and managed detection to secure your WordPress environment swiftly and reliably.

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