CVE-2025-0749 is an authentication bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-288, affecting the Homey WordPress theme developed by Fave Themes, specifically versions up to and including 2.4.3. The root cause is the improper handling of the 'verification_id' parameter on the dashboard user profile page, where the value can be empty and the system lacks a check to ensure it is not empty before granting access. This flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and gain access as the first verified user in the system. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable without any user interaction or prior authentication, but the attack complexity is rated high because the attacker must identify or guess the first verified user. The CVSS v3.1 score is 8.1, indicating a high severity with impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. While no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the potential for full account compromise and subsequent unauthorized actions within the WordPress environment. The lack of a patch at the time of reporting necessitates immediate mitigation efforts by administrators. The vulnerability affects all versions of the Homey theme up to 2.4.3, which is widely used in real estate and rental websites built on WordPress, increasing the scope of potential impact.

This vulnerability allows attackers to bypass authentication controls and gain unauthorized access to WordPress sites using the Homey theme, specifically as the first verified user, who often has administrative privileges. The impact includes full compromise of the affected WordPress site, leading to data theft, content manipulation, deployment of malware, or use of the site as a pivot point for further attacks. Confidentiality is compromised as sensitive user and site data can be accessed; integrity is affected due to unauthorized content changes; and availability can be disrupted by malicious actions such as defacement or denial of service. Organizations relying on the Homey theme for critical business functions, especially in real estate and rental markets, face reputational damage, financial loss, and regulatory compliance issues if exploited. The ease of remote exploitation without authentication increases the risk of widespread attacks once exploit code becomes available. Given WordPress's global popularity, the vulnerability could affect a large number of websites worldwide.

Until an official patch is released, organizations should implement several specific mitigations: 1) Restrict access to the WordPress dashboard and user profile pages via IP whitelisting or VPN to limit exposure. 2) Deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block requests attempting to exploit the 'verification_id' parameter. 3) Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all administrative users to add an additional layer of security even if authentication is bypassed. 4) Monitor logs for unusual login attempts or access patterns, especially attempts to access the dashboard without prior authentication. 5) Consider temporarily disabling or replacing the Homey theme with a secure alternative until a vendor patch is available. 6) Keep WordPress core and all plugins/themes updated to minimize other attack vectors. 7) Educate site administrators about the vulnerability and the importance of immediate mitigation steps. 8) Regularly back up website data and configurations to enable quick recovery in case of compromise.