CVE-2025-9501Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vector

Unauthenticated PHP execution via dynamic fragment parsing

Published Nov 17, 2025 · Updated Nov 17, 2025

Command injection in BoldGrid W3 Total Cache before 2.8.13 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP through crafted comments. The _parse_dynamic_mfunc function evaluates legacy mfunc content after a REST endpoint exposes the W3TC_DYNAMIC_SECURITY token needed to authorize it. Exploitation requires Page Fragment Caching with W3TC_DYNAMIC_SECURITY configured and a post accepting comments; successful code runs in the WordPress PHP context.

CVSS severity9.0
Critical
EPSS probability20.47%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in BoldGrid W3 Total Cache before 2.8.13 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary PHP through crafted comments. The _parse_dynamic_mfunc function evaluates legacy mfunc content after a REST endpoint exposes the W3TC_DYNAMIC_SECURITY token needed to authorize it. Exploitation requires Page Fragment Caching with W3TC_DYNAMIC_SECURITY configured and a post accepting comments; successful code runs in the WordPress PHP context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-9501
Published
Nov 17, 2025
Updated
Nov 17, 2025
Vendor
Web Ventures
Product
W3 Total Cache
Classifications
CWE-78, T1059, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 17, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 17, 2025Record 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 <2.8.13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Web Ventures · W3 Total Cacheversion=0 <2.8.13

Published CVSS scores

9.0CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78OS Command Injection
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

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

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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