CVE-2025-11172 identifies a missing authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) in the Check Plagiarism plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 2.0. The vulnerability stems from the chk_plag_mine_plugin_wpse10500_admin_action() function, which lacks proper capability checks, allowing any authenticated user with Subscriber-level privileges or higher to update the plugin's API key. This unauthorized modification can lead to integrity issues, as attackers could replace the legitimate API key with one under their control, potentially redirecting plagiarism queries or manipulating plugin responses. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting the low complexity of attack (low attack complexity), network vector, and limited impact on integrity without affecting confidentiality or availability. No patches are currently available, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. The vulnerability was published on October 24, 2025, with the CVE reserved on September 29, 2025. The affected product is widely used in WordPress deployments, particularly in educational and content creation environments where plagiarism detection is critical. The lack of authorization checks represents a common security oversight that can be exploited by low-privilege users, emphasizing the need for strict capability enforcement in plugin development.

For European organizations, especially educational institutions, universities, and content publishers relying on the Check Plagiarism plugin, this vulnerability poses a risk to the integrity of plagiarism detection processes. Unauthorized modification of the API key could allow attackers to manipulate plagiarism results, potentially undermining academic integrity or content originality verification. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or availability, the integrity breach could lead to reputational damage, loss of trust, and potential compliance issues with academic standards or content authenticity regulations. Organizations with multi-user WordPress environments where users have Subscriber-level access or higher are particularly at risk. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the ease of exploitation means attackers could develop exploits rapidly once the vulnerability is public. The impact is more pronounced in sectors where plagiarism detection is critical, such as higher education and publishing industries prevalent across Europe.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately restrict Subscriber-level and higher user permissions to trusted individuals only, minimizing the number of users who can exploit this vulnerability. 2) Monitor and audit changes to the Check Plagiarism plugin’s API key and related configuration settings to detect unauthorized modifications promptly. 3) Employ WordPress security plugins or custom scripts to enforce additional capability checks on plugin actions, effectively adding a layer of authorization control until an official patch is released. 4) Regularly review user roles and capabilities to ensure least privilege principles are enforced, reducing the attack surface. 5) Stay informed about vendor updates and apply patches as soon as they become available. 6) Consider temporarily disabling the Check Plagiarism plugin if the risk is unacceptable and no immediate patch is available, especially in high-risk environments. 7) Educate administrators and users about the risks of unauthorized access and encourage strong authentication practices to prevent account compromise.