CVE-2025-49386
Published: 06 November 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-49386 is a high-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 30.2th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly mitigates CVE-2025-49386 by requiring timely patching of the Preserve Code Formatting WordPress plugin versions through 4.0.1 to eliminate the unsafe deserialization.
Enforces validation of untrusted inputs to the plugin, preventing deserialization of malicious objects leading to object injection.
Implements memory protections such as ASLR and DEP to mitigate code execution from PHP deserialization gadgets exploited in this vulnerability.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Deserialization of untrusted data (CWE-502) in a WordPress plugin enables unauthenticated remote exploitation of a public-facing web application.
NVD Description
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in Scott Reilly Preserve Code Formatting preserve-code-formatting allows Object Injection.This issue affects Preserve Code Formatting: from n/a through <= 4.0.1.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-49386 is a Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability (CWE-502) in the Preserve Code Formatting WordPress plugin developed by Scott Reilly. The flaw allows Object Injection and affects all versions of the plugin from its initial release through 4.0.1 inclusive. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity due to its potential for significant impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The vulnerability can be exploited over the network by authenticated attackers with low privileges, requiring low complexity and no user interaction. Successful exploitation enables Object Injection, which can result in high-impact outcomes such as unauthorized data access, modification, or denial of service, depending on available PHP deserialization gadgets in the environment.
Mitigation details are available in the Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/preserve-code-formatting/vulnerability/wordpress-preserve-code-formatting-plugin-4-0-1-php-object-injection-vulnerability?_s_id=cve, which documents the vulnerability in the Preserve Code Formatting plugin up to version 4.0.1.
Details
- CWE(s)