The week of May 12 to 18, 2025, brought notable activity across the WordPress ecosystem. From serious security disclosures to strategic updates in core development and contributions, the community remained engaged and responsive. In this weekly recap, we’ve compiled all major developments, curated from verified sources including Make WordPress Slack, Wordfence, developer blogs, and relevant social channels.
Core Development and Community Events
WordPress Core Developer Chat – May 14, 2025
The weekly WordPress Core Developer Chat was held on May 14 at 15:00 UTC in the #core Slack channel. Key points of discussion included:
- Planning and preparation for upcoming minor releases.
- An open invitation for contributors to suggest agenda items ahead of time.
- Continued focus on testing new WordPress 6.8 features and encouraging community feedback.
Reference: Dev Chat Agenda – May 14, 2025
Accessibility Bug Scrub in Honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day
On May 15, the WordPress community conducted a dedicated bug scrub session focused on accessibility issues. Organized in the #core Slack channel, this initiative supported Global Accessibility Awareness Day by prioritizing improvements in:
- Keyboard navigation support.
- Screen reader compatibility.
- Overall usability enhancements for all users.
Details available in the Dev Chat post.
Security and Vulnerability Disclosures
Motors Theme Security Vulnerability (CVE-2025-4322)
A critical privilege escalation vulnerability was disclosed in the premium Motors theme. Identified as CVE-2025-4322 with a severity score of 9.8 out of 10, this flaw allowed unauthenticated attackers to gain administrator access.
- Affected Version: Pre-5.6.68
- Patched Version: 5.6.68 (released May 14, 2025)
- Users were strongly advised to update immediately
Sources:
Wordfence Weekly Vulnerability Report
Wordfence added 132 vulnerabilities to its Intelligence Database during the week. These included:
- 110 affected WordPress plugins
- 9 affected themes
Administrators are advised to perform immediate reviews of installed extensions and update all outdated components.
Reference: Wordfence Blog
TheGem Theme Vulnerability Discussion
Although patched prior to the start of the week, TheGem theme remained in discussion due to its widespread use. The theme had suffered from critical vulnerabilities, including remote code execution issues.
- Over 82,000 active installations were affected
- Patched in version 5.10.3.1 on May 7, 2025
Further Reading: Cybersecurity News
Gutenberg and WordPress 6.8 Testing
Gutenberg 20.8 Feature Testing
Gutenberg 20.8 was under continued evaluation following its release alongside WordPress 6.8. Key feature updates under review included:
- Advanced block bindings
- Section style controls
- Improved editor consistency and interface performance
Reference: Gutenberg 20.8 Announcement
Deprecated APIs in @wordpress/components
Developers took note of several deprecations in the @wordpress/components package, including the removal of ButtonGroup and related UI components. Plugin and theme authors were encouraged to begin transitioning to modern alternatives.
Core details: WordPress 6.8 Overview
Community and Industry News
WPContent Tweet on Ecosystem Updates
On May 14, the @wpcontent_co account posted an update linking to the latest WordPress news and developments. Although the tweet did not specify topics in detail, it highlighted active engagement from within the community.
View post: @wpcontent_co Tweet
Modular DS Raises €615K for WordPress Management Platform
Modular DS, a Spain-based startup focused on WordPress site management, announced €615,000 in seed funding to expand its tools for performance monitoring, scaling, and security.
Coverage: Tech.eu
JD Supra Publishes Plugin Risk Advisory
On May 15, JD Supra issued a legal and technical advisory for WordPress users, warning against excessive plugin usage. Recommendations included:
- Minimizing third-party plugins
- Conducting regular audits
- Prioritizing performance and security
Read the full advisory: JD Supra
Contributor Participation and Maintenance
WordPress 6.8 Release Parties Continue
Throughout the week, contributors gathered virtually to test recent changes and discuss upcoming refinements in WordPress 6.8. These “release parties” provided a collaborative environment for bug reporting and feedback.
Updates: Make WordPress Core
Wordfence Bug Bounty Program
Wordfence continued its bug bounty initiative, offering rewards of up to $31,200 per qualifying vulnerability. Researchers and developers were encouraged to report responsibly disclosed issues in plugins and themes.
Program details: Wordfence Bug Bounty
Ongoing Emphasis on Plugin Maintenance
In response to the large volume of vulnerabilities reported, site administrators were reminded to:
- Remove inactive or unmaintained plugins
- Keep all assets updated
- Monitor vulnerability feeds regularly
WordPress support forums and Slack discussions reflected heightened awareness of proactive site hygiene.
Reference: WordPress Support Forums
Summary Table
| Category | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Core Development | Dev Chat (May 14), Accessibility Bug Scrub (May 15) |
| Security | Motors Theme vulnerability (CVE-2025-4322), 132 plugin/theme vulnerabilities |
| Gutenberg | Testing Gutenberg 20.8, deprecated API notices |
| Business | Modular DS funding, plugin security guidance from JD Supra |
| Social Media | WordPress news shared by @wpcontent_co |
| Community Engagement | WordPress 6.8 release parties, bug bounty program |
Recommendations for Site Administrators
- Update the Motors theme to version 5.6.68 immediately.
- Review your plugin and theme stack for known vulnerabilities using tools like Wordfence or WPScan.
- Participate in community testing and bug scrubs via the Make WordPress Slack.
- Limit plugin usage to actively maintained, well-supported options.
- Enable strong authentication mechanisms, including two-factor authentication.
Final Note
While no major core releases landed during the week, the WordPress ecosystem was alive with activity. Security remained a top concern, and the community’s emphasis on accessibility and testing demonstrated WordPress’s continued evolution through open collaboration.
For real-time updates, follow @WordPress, @wpcontent_co, and @wordfence.
If you would like a PDF version of this recap, a newsletter adaptation, or a media-ready summary, feel free to get in touch.
