CVE-2025-8999Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Subscriber-level module changes via missing capability check

Published Sep 17, 2025 · Updated Apr 8, 2026

Missing authorization in aThemes Sydney 2.56 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to activate or deactivate theme modules. The activate_modules function processes activate_module_{slug} profile-page parameters and rewrites the sydney-modules WordPress option without a capability check. Subscriber-level access is sufficient to change site-wide module state, altering theme functionality available to the site.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

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Summary

What happened

Missing authorization in aThemes Sydney 2.56 and earlier allows remote authenticated users to activate or deactivate theme modules. The activate_modules function processes activate_module_{slug} profile-page parameters and rewrites the sydney-modules WordPress option without a capability check. Subscriber-level access is sufficient to change site-wide module state, altering theme functionality available to the site.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-8999
Published
Sep 17, 2025
Updated
Apr 8, 2026
Vendor
aThemes
Product
Sydney
Classifications
CWE-862, T1565.001
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 17, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 8, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=2.56

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

aThemes · Sydneyversion=0 <=2.56

Published CVSS scores

5.3WordfenceCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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