Sydney <= 2.56 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Limited Theme Options Update
Priority LOW 24CWE-862Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Low · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-862.
Summary
The Sydney theme for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the 'activate_modules' function in all versions up to, and including, 2.56. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to activate or deactivate various theme modules.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00281 20th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-8999
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-8p5x-g3gq-fwxp
References
Other 5
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/965582c6-a52e-4f88-81ef-b5dd761a0c23?source=cve
- https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/browser/sydney/2.55/inc/classes/class-sydney-modules.php#L166
- https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/browser/sydney/2.55/inc/modules/class-sydney-modules.php#L72
- https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/288374/
- https://research.cleantalk.org/cve-2025-8999/
More athemes vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-23256 WordPress aThemes Addons for Elementor plugin <= 1.1.3 - Local File Inclusion vulnerability CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-03765 Sydney Toolbox <= 1.30 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.4
- TI-2024-03007 Sydney Toolbox <= 1.28 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Filterable Gallery CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.4
- TI-2024-01351 Sydney Toolbox <= 1.25 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.4
- TI-2025-16529 WordPress aThemes Addons for Elementor plugin <= 1.0.8 - Stored Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
- TI-2024-34589 WordPress aThemes Addons for Elementor plugin <= 1.0.7 - Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
Sources
- CVE-2025-8999 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-8999 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-8p5x-g3gq-fwxp · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences