CVE-2025-11174 is an improper authorization vulnerability (CWE-285) found in the Document Library Lite WordPress plugin developed by barn2media, affecting all versions up to and including 1.1.6. The vulnerability stems from an unauthenticated AJAX action named dll_load_posts that returns a JSON-formatted table of document data without performing any nonce verification or capability checks. This endpoint accepts an attacker-controlled 'args' array, where the 'status' option can be set to values such as draft, pending, future, or any, allowing attackers to retrieve unpublished document titles and content. Because the AJAX handler does not require authentication or user interaction, an attacker can remotely exploit this flaw to access sensitive unpublished documents that should normally be restricted. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality by exposing potentially sensitive internal documents but does not affect data integrity or availability. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium), reflecting the network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. No patches or known exploits are currently available, but the issue is publicly disclosed and should be addressed promptly. The vulnerability is significant for WordPress sites using this plugin, especially those managing sensitive or internal documents.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized disclosure of unpublished or sensitive documents managed through the Document Library Lite plugin on WordPress sites. This could lead to leakage of confidential business information, internal communications, or pre-release content, potentially harming competitive advantage, violating data privacy regulations such as GDPR, and damaging organizational reputation. While the vulnerability does not allow modification or deletion of data, the exposure of draft or pending documents can be exploited for corporate espionage or social engineering attacks. Organizations in sectors such as government, finance, legal, and media that rely on WordPress for document management are particularly at risk. The ease of exploitation without authentication increases the threat level, especially for public-facing websites. Although no known exploits are reported yet, the public disclosure means attackers could develop exploits rapidly, increasing urgency for mitigation.

1. Monitor barn2media and WordPress plugin repositories for an official patch addressing CVE-2025-11174 and apply updates immediately upon release. 2. Until a patch is available, implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block or restrict access to the AJAX endpoint 'dll_load_posts' for unauthenticated users. 3. Use WordPress security plugins or custom code to enforce nonce verification and capability checks on AJAX actions, especially those exposing document data. 4. Review and restrict user roles and permissions related to document libraries to minimize exposure. 5. Conduct an audit of all unpublished documents accessible via the plugin and remove or relocate highly sensitive content temporarily. 6. Employ network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of WordPress administrative and AJAX endpoints. 7. Educate site administrators about the risk and encourage regular security assessments of plugins and themes. 8. Consider alternative document management plugins with stronger security postures if immediate patching is not feasible.