CVE-2025-10720 is a medium-severity authorization bypass vulnerability affecting the WP Private Content Plus WordPress plugin up to version 3.6.2. The plugin provides a global content protection feature that is intended to restrict access to certain content via password protection. However, the access control mechanism is flawed because it relies exclusively on the presence of a client-side cookie that is not cryptographically protected or validated on the server side. This design flaw corresponds to CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key). An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by manually setting the expected cookie value in their browser, thereby bypassing the password protection without needing any authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality by allowing unauthorized access to protected content, but it does not affect integrity or availability. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N) indicates network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and limited impact on confidentiality and integrity. No patches or fixes have been published yet, and no known exploits have been observed in the wild. This vulnerability highlights a critical design weakness in the plugin’s access control logic, emphasizing the need for server-side validation of authorization tokens rather than relying on client-side cookies alone.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the WP Private Content Plus plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential content. Attackers can easily bypass password protections and access restricted areas or documents, potentially exposing intellectual property, customer data, or internal communications. This could lead to reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations if personal data is exposed), and financial losses. Since the vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, it can be exploited remotely and at scale. Organizations relying on this plugin for content gating or membership sites are particularly vulnerable. The impact is primarily on confidentiality, but the breach of trust and data exposure can have cascading effects on business operations and compliance obligations within the European regulatory environment.

Immediate mitigation steps include disabling the WP Private Content Plus plugin until a secure patch is released. Organizations should implement server-side access control checks that do not rely solely on client-side cookies for authorization. This can be done by enforcing session validation on the server, using secure, signed tokens (e.g., JWTs) or server-stored session identifiers that cannot be manipulated by clients. Web application firewalls (WAFs) can be configured to detect and block suspicious cookie manipulation attempts. Monitoring web server logs for unusual cookie-setting behavior or unauthorized access patterns is recommended. Additionally, organizations should audit all WordPress plugins for similar client-side authorization weaknesses and ensure timely updates. When a patch becomes available, prompt application is critical. Educating site administrators about secure authentication and authorization practices is also advised.