dbcve.org
Unrestricted File UploadWeakness · CWE-434

CVE-2025-7438

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-07-18
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The MasterStudy LMS Pro plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to insufficient file type validation in the 'install_and_activate_plugin' function in all versions up to, and including, 4.7.9. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to upload arbitrary files on the affected site's server which may make remote code execution possible. The vulnerability is difficult to exploit due to timing requirements and environmental factors.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The MasterStudy LMS Pro WordPress plugin versions up to 4.7.9 contain an arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the install_and_activate_plugin function due to insufficient file type validation. Authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access can upload arbitrary files to the server, potentially achieving remote code execution, though exploitation is difficult due to timing and environmental factors.

MitigationUpdate MasterStudy LMS Pro to version 4.7.10 or later. If immediate update is not possible, restrict or audit Subscriber-level user capabilities and monitor for suspicious file uploads.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
High
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm MasterStudy LMS Pro is installed
    In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and look for 'MasterStudy LMS Pro' in the list. Note the version number displayed alongside the plugin name.
    Affected if The plugin is installed and its version is 4.7.9 or lower.
  2. Verify the exact version number
    Click on the plugin in the WordPress plugins list to view details, or check the plugin's main PHP file header for the 'Version' tag. Compare the version to the affected range: versions up to and including 4.7.9 are vulnerable.
    Affected if The installed version is 4.7.9 or any version lower (e.g., 4.7.8, 4.7.7, etc.).
  3. Identify Subscriber-level user accounts
    In WordPress admin, go to Users > All Users and review the role assigned to each account. Note any users with the 'Subscriber' role.
    Affected if There are active Subscriber-level accounts in the WordPress installation, as this role can exploit the vulnerability.
  4. Inspect the install_and_activate_plugin function usage
    Review the plugin files (typically in wp-content/plugins/masterstudy-lms-learning-management-system-pro/) for the install_and_activate_plugin function and check if it is accessible to Subscriber users via AJAX or admin-ajax.php endpoints.
    Affected if The function is exposed without proper capability checks, allowing Subscriber-level access.
  5. Audit uploaded files in the uploads directory
    Examine the wp-content/uploads directory (especially subfolders like /plugins/ or /lms/) for unexpected PHP files, scripts, or files with double extensions (e.g., file.php.jpg) that were uploaded recently.
    Affected if Unexpected executable files or suspicious file types exist in upload directories, indicating possible exploitation.

You are affected if MasterStudy LMS Pro version 4.7.9 or lower is installed, Subscriber-level users exist, and suspicious files appear in upload directories or the vulnerable function is accessible to low-privilege users.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update MasterStudy LMS Pro to version 4.7.10 or later. If immediate update is not possible, restrict or audit Subscriber-level user capabilities and monitor for suspicious file uploads.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
6.0 hours of engineering $1,060
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An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,696.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-7438 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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