# CVE-2025-46490: WordPress Crossword Compiler Puzzles plugin <= 5.2 - Arbitrary File Upload Vulnerability

> Attackers can upload malicious web shells to the server via the Crossword Compiler Puzzles plugin, leading to remote code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 23 May 2025
- **Updated:** 28 Apr 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5857-r24c-jg46

## What is CVE-2025-46490?

CVE-2025-46490 is a critical vulnerability in wordwebsoftware Crossword Compiler Puzzles, published on 23 May 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerability in wordwebsoftware Crossword Compiler Puzzles crossword-compiler-puzzles allows Upload a Web Shell to a Web Server.This issue affects Crossword Compiler Puzzles: from n/a through <= 5.2.

Weakness: CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-46490?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-46490?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-46490 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-46490 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-46490 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-46490 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-46490 is a critical vulnerability in wordwebsoftware Crossword Compiler Puzzles, published on 23 May 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-2025-46490 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: wordwebsoftware Crossword Compiler Puzzles. 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-2025-46490/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-46490/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-46490
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-46490
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-46490

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-46490/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.