CVE-2019-25217 | SiteGround Optimizer <= 5.0.12 - Missing Authorization

The SiteGround Optimizer plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass leading to Remote Code Execution and Local File Inclusion in versions up to, and including, 5.0.12 due to incorrect use of an access control attribute on the switch_php function called via the /switch-php REST API route. This allows attackers to include and execute arbitrary files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution in cases where images and other “safe” file types can be uploaded and included.

Published: 2024-10-16 Last update: 2025-12-23 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Analyzed，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2019-25217 is rated High Risk (74/100): CVSS Critical severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 9.63%, 93th percentile). EPSS ranks this CVE among the most likely to be exploited in the near term. EPSS rose +2.30% over the last day, indicating growing attacker interest. High exploitation likelihood—assess exposure and prioritize remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2019-25217

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-03-07 7.33% 9.63% +2.30%
2 2026-01-15 6.21% 7.33% +1.12%
3 2026-01-04 — 6.21% —

Full EPSS history (18 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2019-25217

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
9.8 3.1 CRITICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 3.9 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2019-25217

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2019-25217

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
siteground speed_optimizer < 5.0.12 cpe:2.3:a:siteground:speed_optimizer:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*

References for CVE-2019-25217

cvelogic Threat Intelligence