CVE-2025-6553
Published: 11 October 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-6553 is a critical-severity Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type (CWE-434) vulnerability in Themeforest (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 33.6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; 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).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-6553 is an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the Ovatheme Events Manager plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.8.5. The flaw arises from missing file type validation in the process_checkout() function, allowing attackers to upload arbitrary files to the affected site's server. Classified under CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type), it carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), marking it as critical.
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability over the network with low complexity and no user interaction. Successful exploitation enables the upload of malicious files, which may lead to remote code execution on the server, granting high-impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromises.
Advisories, including the Wordfence threat intelligence report at https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/808392a9-dbac-4896-8677-6ddc1213d80d?source=cve and the theme's changelog on ThemeForest at https://themeforest.net/item/em4u-event-management-multipurpose-wordpress-theme/20846579#item-description__change_log, provide further details on the issue. The product page at https://themeforest.net/item/em4u-event-management-multipurpose-wordpress-theme/20846579 offers context on the affected component.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-33825
Vulnerability details
The Ovatheme Events Manager plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to missing file type validation in the process_checkout() function in all versions up to, and including, 1.8.5. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload…
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arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make remote code execution possible.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Arbitrary file upload vulnerability in public-facing WordPress plugin enables exploitation of public-facing application (T1190) and facilitates remote code execution via uploaded web shells (T1100).
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Directly requires identifying, reporting, and patching the specific flaw in the plugin's process_checkout() function to eliminate the arbitrary file upload vulnerability.
Mandates validation of information inputs, including file types during uploads, to block arbitrary files from being accepted by the process_checkout() function.
Provides real-time scanning of uploaded files from external sources to detect and block malicious payloads that could lead to remote code execution.