Critical severity · published Dec 2, 2025
CVE-2025-13542
DesignThemes LMS <= 1.0.4 - Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation
9.8
CVSS
0.4%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
The DesignThemes LMS plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.4. This is due to the 'dtlms_register_user_front_end' function not restricting what user roles a user can register with. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to supply the 'administrator' role during registration and gain administrator access to the site.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.4% · higher than 31% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
DL
DesignThemes LMS · DesignThemes
through 1.0.4 · source: vendor
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-13542
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-13542
themeforest.net
https://themeforest.net/item/egrad-education-wordpress-theme/42803015
www.wordfence.com
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/c880470f-3f81-47a2-b450-7074410e9f43?source=cve