CVE-2025-8999

Sydney <= 2.56 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Limited Theme Options Update

5.3 Medium

The Sydney theme for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the 'activate_modules' function in all versions up to, and including, 2.56. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to activate or deactivate various theme modules.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges needed: None
User interaction: None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality: None
Integrity: Low
Availability: None

Exploit likelihood

0.28%Up 0.3 points since Sep 17, 2025

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 5.3

Sydney <= 2.56 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Limited Theme Options Update

Record: CVE-2025-8999
CVSS 3.1: 5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Weakness: CWE-862
Updated: 2026-11-02

EUVDEUVD-2025-29712 5.3

Record: EUVD-2025-29712
CVSS 3.1: 5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Updated: 2026-11-02

GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-8p5x-g3gq-fwxp 5.3

The Sydney theme for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a...

Record: GHSA-8p5x-g3gq-fwxp
CVSS 3.1: 5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Weakness: CWE-862
Updated: 2026-11-02

NVD 5.3

Record: CVE-2025-8999
CVSS 3.1: 5.3 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
Weakness: CWE-862
Updated: 2026-11-02

Affected products

athemes sydney

History

History
Recorded	Changed	Sources
Nov 2, 2026	first indexed	CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2025-8999 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.3) in Athemes Sydney, published September 17, 2025. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.28%, the 20th percentile. No source names a fixed version.