Cybersecurity professionals consider CVE-2025-12974 an immediate threat requiring urgent mitigation.
Status: Received on 18 Nov 2025, 04:15 UTC
Published on: 18 Nov 2025, 04:15 UTC
CVSS Release: version 3
security@wordfence.com
Primary
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVE-2025-12974: The Gravity Forms plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to missing file type validation in the legacy chunked upload mechanism in all versions up to, and including, 2.9.21.1. This is due to the extension blacklist not including .phar files, which can be uploaded through the chunked upload mechanism. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload executable .phar files and achieve remote code execution on the server, granted they can discover or enumerate the upload path. In order for an attacker to achieve RCE, the web server needs to be set up to process .phar file as PHP via file handler mapping or similar.
The exploitability of CVE-2025-12974 depends on two key factors: attack complexity (the level of effort required to execute an exploit) and privileges required (the access level an attacker needs).
CVE-2025-12974 presents a challenge to exploit due to its high attack complexity, but the absence of privilege requirements still makes it a viable target for skilled attackers. A thorough security review is advised.
A lower complexity and fewer privilege requirements make exploitation easier. Security teams should evaluate these aspects to determine the urgency of mitigation strategies, such as patch management and access control policies.
Attack Complexity (AC) measures the difficulty in executing an exploit. A high AC means that specific conditions must be met, making an attack more challenging, while a low AC means the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal effort.
Privileges Required (PR) determine the level of system access necessary for an attack. Vulnerabilities requiring no privileges are more accessible to attackers, whereas high privilege requirements limit exploitation to authorized users with elevated access.
Above is the CVSS Sub-score Breakdown for CVE-2025-12974, illustrating how Base, Impact, and Exploitability factors combine to form the overall severity rating. A higher sub-score typically indicates a more severe or easier-to-exploit vulnerability.
Below is the Impact Analysis for CVE-2025-12974, showing how Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability might be affected if the vulnerability is exploited. Higher values usually signal greater potential damage.
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