CVE-2025-3623
Published: 14 May 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-3623 is a critical-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Uncannyowl Uncanny Automator. Its CVSS base score is 9.1 (Critical).
Operationally, ranked in the top 21.6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
The Uncanny Automator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions through 6.4.0.1. The flaw stems from unsafe deserialization of untrusted input inside the automator_api_decode_message() function in class-automator-recipe-helpers.php, which permits an attacker to supply a serialized PHP object. When a POP chain is present, the injected object can be leveraged to delete arbitrary files on the server.
Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit the issue directly over the network without any user interaction or authentication. Successful exploitation results in high-impact outcomes limited to integrity and availability, specifically the ability to remove arbitrary files, while no confidentiality impact is indicated by the CVSS vector.
The vendor released version 6.4.0.2 on 2025-04-18 to address the vulnerability, with the corresponding patch committed to the WordPress plugin repository that updates the deserialization logic in the affected helper class. Public references, including the plugin changelog and Wordfence advisory, point to this update as the corrective measure.
The associated EPSS score has remained flat at 0.0109 with no material increase from its initial value.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-14637
Vulnerability details
The Uncanny Automator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 6.4.0.1 via deserialization of untrusted input in the automator_api_decode_message() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated to inject a PHP Object.…
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The additional presence of a POP chain allows attackers to delete arbitrary files.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Penetration testing supplies malicious serialized objects, detecting unsafe deserialization and supporting corrective actions.
Evaluation of untrusted data handling (deserialization testing) reveals unsafe processing, which the required remediation process addresses.
Untrusted serialized data can be deserialized and observed inside the chamber, blocking gadget-chain exploitation outside the sandbox.
Validates or rejects untrusted serialized data before deserialization occurs.
Identifies and blocks malicious code introduced through deserialization of untrusted data at system boundaries.
Integrity verification of serialized information can detect tampering before deserialization occurs.
Provenance of associated data allows detection of untrusted sources before deserialization or processing occurs.