Security Resilience

CVE-2025-4206

Path Traversal

Published
09 May 2025
Modified
17 June 2026
CVSS Score v3.1 7.2
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.016 76th percentile
Risk Priority 60 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2025-4206 is a high-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in Wordpress (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 7.2 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow (T1003.008); ranked in the top 24% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

The Groundhogg WordPress plugin for CRM, email, and marketing automation is affected by an arbitrary file deletion vulnerability (CWE-22) in all versions through 4.1.1.2. The flaw stems from missing file path validation in the process_export_delete and process_import_delete functions, allowing improper traversal of user-supplied paths.

Authenticated attackers holding Administrator privileges can exploit the issue remotely to delete arbitrary files on the underlying server. Successful deletion of sensitive files such as wp-config.php can readily result in remote code execution and full site compromise.

Public references include the vulnerable code locations in the plugin's tools-page.php file along with changeset 3289364, which implements a fix; the Wordfence advisory further documents the affected functions and the path-validation weakness.

EPSS remains flat at 0.0571 with no material increase after disclosure, indicating limited observed exploitation interest to date.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

The WordPress CRM, Email & Marketing Automation for WordPress | Award Winner — Groundhogg plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file deletion due to insufficient file path validation in the 'process_export_delete' and 'process_import_delete' functions in all versions up to,…

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and including, 4.1.1.2. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Administrator-level access and above, to delete arbitrary files on the server, which can easily lead to remote code execution when the right file is deleted (such as wp-config.php).

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1003.008 /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow Credential Access
Adversaries may attempt to dump the contents of <code>/etc/passwd</code> and <code>/etc/shadow</code> to enable offline password cracking.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-41182Shared CWE-22
CVE-2025-54140Shared CWE-22
CVE-2025-69376Shared CWE-22
CVE-2023-7249Shared CWE-22
CVE-2024-43345Shared CWE-22
CVE-2026-9472Shared CWE-22
CVE-2018-25194Shared CWE-22
CVE-2025-64765Shared CWE-22
CVE-2026-35338Shared CWE-22
CVE-2025-4530Shared CWE-22

Affected Assets

Wordpress
—
inferred from references and description; NVD did not file a CPE for this CVE

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

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Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

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Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

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Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.3.2

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Enforces the intended directory access authorizations that path traversal would otherwise bypass.

Input validation directly neutralizes special path elements before pathname construction occurs.

Least privilege reduces the impact of any unauthorized file access obtained via traversal.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-02 partial match
blocks

Patching/maintenance can remediate known path-traversal flaws in deployed software (partial prevention of exploitability) but does nothing to stop the coding defect from being introduced in the first place.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing in development catches path traversal via static/dynamic analysis.

prevents

Secure coding standards explicitly forbid unsafe path construction and mandate safe APIs.

References