# CVE-2025-12962: Local Syndication <= 1.5a - Authenticated (Contributor+) Server-Side Request Forgery via Shortcode

> Authenticated contributors can exploit SSRF in Local Syndication to access internal services and scan networks via the shortcode URL parameter.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.4 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Nov 2025
- **Updated:** 8 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qmw5-54cp-96w5

## What is CVE-2025-12962?

CVE-2025-12962 is a medium-severity server-side request forgery vulnerability in willbontrager Local Syndication, published on 18 Nov 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Local Syndication plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Server-Side Request Forgery in all versions up to, and including, 1.5a via the `url` parameter in the `[syndicate_local]` shortcode. This is due to the use of `wp_remote_get()` instead of `wp_safe_remote_get()` which lacks protections against requests to internal/private IP addresses and localhost. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to make web requests to arbitrary locations originating from the web application, which can be used to query and modify information from internal services, scan internal networks, and access resources that should not be accessible from external networks.

Weakness: CWE-918 (Server-Side Request Forgery)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-12962?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-12962?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-12962 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-12962 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-12962 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-12962 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-12962 is a medium-severity server-side request forgery vulnerability in willbontrager Local Syndication, published on 18 Nov 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-12962 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: willbontrager Local Syndication. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-12962/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-12962/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-12962
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-12962
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-12962

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-12962/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.