CVE-2025-13972
WatchTowerHQ <= 3.16.0 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Arbitrary File Read via 'wht_download_big_object_origin' Parameter
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- Wordfence
Description
The WatchTowerHQ plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file read via the 'wht_download_big_object_origin' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 3.16.0. This is due to insufficient path validation in the handle_big_object_download_request function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level access and a valid access token, to read arbitrary files on the server, which can contain sensitive information such as database credentials and authentication keys.
Timeline
ID reserved
By Wordfence
- 9 days later
· 9 days later
Published
- 4 months later
· 4 months later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordfenceCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Medium4.9 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N |
| NVDNVD · Deferred | 3.1 | Medium4.9 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.51% · top 56% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: partial
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 4.9.
Weakness
Affected products
- affected ≤ 3.16.0
References (3)
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/13fcbff8-8560-48ca-82df-8b620961d9c6?source=cve (opens in a new tab)
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/watchtowerhq/tags/3.15.0/src/Download.php#L104 (opens in a new tab)
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/watchtowerhq/trunk/src/Download.php#L104 (opens in a new tab)
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2025-13972)Record last updated .