CVE-2021-25059 is a medium-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory, commonly known as Path Traversal) affecting the WordPress Download Plugin versions prior to 2.0.0. The core issue arises because the plugin does not adequately verify whether a user has the necessary privileges to access a backup's nonce identifier. This flaw allows any authenticated user with an account on the WordPress site, including low-privilege roles such as subscribers, to download a full copy of the website. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), and only requires privileges equivalent to a logged-in user (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The impact primarily affects confidentiality and integrity, as unauthorized users can obtain sensitive website data and potentially modify or misuse it. The vulnerability does not affect availability. The plugin’s improper validation of user privileges combined with path traversal techniques enables attackers to bypass access controls and retrieve files outside the intended directory scope. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to WordPress sites using this plugin, especially those with multiple user accounts of varying privilege levels. The lack of a patch link suggests that remediation may require updating to version 2.0.0 or later, or applying custom access control measures.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive website data, including proprietary content, customer information, or internal configurations stored within the website files. Attackers exploiting this flaw could download full website backups, enabling further attacks such as phishing, impersonation, or data leakage. Organizations relying on WordPress with the affected Download Plugin are at risk of confidentiality breaches, which could result in reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and potential financial losses. Since the vulnerability requires only a low-privilege authenticated user, insider threats or compromised low-level accounts pose a significant risk. The integrity of website content could also be indirectly impacted if attackers use the obtained data to craft targeted attacks or manipulate website behavior. However, availability is not directly affected, so service disruption is unlikely. The medium CVSS score (5.4) reflects moderate risk but should not be underestimated given the ease of exploitation and potential data exposure.

1. Immediate upgrade: Update the Download Plugin to version 2.0.0 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. 2. Access control hardening: Restrict user account creation and limit the number of low-privilege users to trusted personnel only. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block path traversal attempts targeting the plugin endpoints. 4. Monitor logs for unusual download requests or access patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Disable or remove the Download Plugin if it is not essential to reduce the attack surface. 6. Employ principle of least privilege on WordPress user roles, ensuring subscribers or low-level users cannot access sensitive resources. 7. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability scans focusing on WordPress plugins and their configurations. 8. If immediate patching is not possible, consider custom plugin modifications to enforce strict privilege checks on backup nonce access.