CVE-2025-10646 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the Search Exclude plugin for WordPress, developed by quadlayers. The flaw exists in the Base::get_rest_permission() method, which is responsible for verifying user capabilities before allowing REST API operations related to the plugin's settings. In all versions up to and including 2.5.7, this method fails to enforce sufficient authorization checks, permitting any authenticated user with Contributor-level privileges or higher to modify plugin settings. Specifically, attackers can add arbitrary posts to the search exclusion list, which controls which posts are omitted from WordPress search results. This unauthorized modification can be leveraged to manipulate site content visibility, potentially hiding critical or malicious content from search queries. The vulnerability requires the attacker to be authenticated with at least Contributor access, which is a relatively low privilege level in WordPress, making exploitation feasible in environments where user roles are not tightly controlled. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or availability directly but compromises the integrity of site content presentation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), with an attack vector of network (remote), low attack complexity, requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction, and unchanged scope. No public exploits have been reported yet, and no patches are currently linked, indicating the need for vigilance and proactive mitigation by site administrators.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to the integrity of WordPress-based websites that utilize the Search Exclude plugin. Unauthorized modification of search exclusion settings can allow malicious insiders or compromised Contributor-level accounts to hide content from search results, potentially facilitating information manipulation, content censorship, or hiding malicious posts. This can undermine trust in organizational websites, affect user experience, and complicate content auditing and compliance efforts. While the vulnerability does not expose sensitive data or cause service disruption, the ability to alter site content visibility can have reputational and operational consequences, especially for public-facing or e-commerce sites. Organizations with multiple contributors or less stringent user role management are at higher risk. Given WordPress's widespread use in Europe, particularly in countries with large digital economies, the impact could be significant if exploited at scale.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should immediately audit user roles and permissions on WordPress sites using the Search Exclude plugin, ensuring that only trusted users have Contributor-level or higher access. Restrict Contributor roles where possible or implement stricter role management policies. Monitor changes to plugin settings and search exclusion lists through logging and alerting mechanisms to detect unauthorized modifications promptly. Until an official patch is released, consider temporarily disabling the Search Exclude plugin if feasible or replacing it with alternative plugins that do not exhibit this vulnerability. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to restrict REST API access to authorized users only. Additionally, educate site administrators and content managers about the risks of privilege escalation and enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of account compromise. Regularly check for updates from the vendor and apply patches as soon as they become available.