Ethical Hacking News
Premium WordPress Motors theme vulnerable to admin takeover attacks; update now to protect your website from devastating cyber attacks.
A vulnerability has been discovered in the Motors WordPress theme, allowing unauthenticated attackers to hijack administrator accounts. The vulnerability stems from the theme's failure to properly validate user identities prior to updating their passwords. Gaining admin-level access can lead to malicious activities such as implanting malware, exfiltrating sensitive data, and redirecting visitors to malicious destinations. Webmasters are advised to upgrade to the latest version of the Motors theme (5.6.68) to patch the vulnerability. Backing up the website before applying updates is crucial to mitigate potential data loss or disruption.
In a stark reminder of the ever-present threat landscape that webmasters and security-conscious individuals must navigate, a critical vulnerability has been discovered in one of the most popular premium WordPress themes, namely the "Motors" theme. Developed by StylemixThemes, this automotive-themed template boasts an impressive 22,300 sales on the Envato market, with hundreds of user reviews and thousands of comments, indicating a highly active community around it.
However, as is often the case when seemingly innocuous web applications and services become the focus of malicious attention, this popularity has unfortunately also made Motors a prime target for hackers. According to recent reports, a privilege escalation vulnerability in the theme has been exposed, allowing unauthenticated attackers to hijack administrator accounts and gain complete control over websites.
The nature of this vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-4322 by Wordfence, is that it stems from the theme's failure to properly validate user identities prior to updating their passwords. This oversight allows malicious actors to modify arbitrary user passwords, including those of administrators, thereby granting them access to their accounts and potentially unleashing a range of devastating consequences.
By gaining admin-level access, attackers could implant malware into websites, exfiltrate sensitive database contents and member details, or redirect unsuspecting visitors to malicious destinations. The implications of such an attack are far-reaching and can have significant financial and reputational repercussions for businesses that rely on their online presence.
Fortunately, StylemixThemes has taken swift action to address this vulnerability by releasing an updated version of the Motors theme, namely 5.6.68, which patches CVE-2025-4322 as of May 14, 2025. Webmasters are strongly advised to upgrade to the latest version as soon as possible, especially considering that the issue does not impact a WordPress plugin in use across millions of websites.
Before proceeding with any updates, it is essential for webmasters to take precautions to mitigate potential data loss or disruption. The most prudent course of action would be to back up their website before applying any theme components, thus safeguarding against unforeseen consequences.
The stakes are particularly high given the price point of Motors licenses, which range from $79 for regular versions to a more substantial $2,000 for extended licenses. Given this investment, it is crucial that webmasters prioritize security and ensure that all updates are thoroughly vetted and implemented to prevent any potential vulnerabilities from being exploited.
In light of this vulnerability, security experts and webmasters alike must remain vigilant and proactive in protecting their online assets against the ever-present threat of malicious attacks. By staying informed about such developments and taking swift action to address them, individuals can significantly reduce the risk of falling prey to devastating cyber attacks that could have far-reaching consequences for their businesses or personal data.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Premium-WordPress-Motors-Theme-Vulnerable-to-Devastating-Admin-Takeover-Attacks-A-Critical-Update-for-Webmasters-ehn.shtml
Published: Tue May 20 16:23:07 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
