CVE-2025-12023 identifies a missing authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) in the ELEX WordPress HelpDesk & Customer Ticketing System plugin, which is widely used to manage customer support tickets within WordPress environments. The vulnerability resides in the eh_crm_restore_data() function, which lacks proper capability checks to verify if the authenticated user has the necessary permissions to restore tickets. As a result, any authenticated user with at least Subscriber-level access can invoke this function to restore tickets, thereby modifying ticket data without authorization. This flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 3.3.1. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring user interaction, making it relatively easy to exploit if an attacker has valid credentials. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting limited impact on confidentiality and availability but a clear impact on data integrity. No patches have been released yet, and no known exploits are reported in the wild. The vulnerability could be leveraged to manipulate ticket records, potentially disrupting customer support operations or enabling fraudulent ticket restoration. The issue highlights the importance of enforcing strict authorization checks in WordPress plugins, especially those handling sensitive business processes like customer support.

For European organizations, the primary impact of this vulnerability is the unauthorized modification of customer support ticket data, which can undermine the integrity and reliability of support workflows. This may lead to operational disruptions, loss of trust from customers, and potential compliance issues if ticket data is used for audit or regulatory purposes. While the vulnerability does not expose sensitive data directly or cause denial of service, the ability for low-privilege users to restore tickets could be exploited to cover tracks or manipulate support history. Organizations relying heavily on the ELEX HelpDesk plugin for critical customer interactions could face reputational damage and increased support costs. The risk is amplified in sectors with strict data governance requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and public services. Since exploitation requires authenticated access, insider threats or compromised low-level accounts pose the greatest risk. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate urgency but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits once the vulnerability becomes widely known.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Immediately audit user roles and permissions within WordPress to ensure that Subscriber-level users do not have unnecessary access to sensitive plugin functions; 2) Restrict plugin usage to trusted users and consider disabling or uninstalling the ELEX HelpDesk plugin if not essential; 3) Monitor logs for unusual ticket restoration activities, especially from low-privilege accounts; 4) Employ WordPress security plugins or web application firewalls (WAFs) that can detect and block unauthorized API calls related to ticket restoration; 5) Apply principle of least privilege rigorously across all WordPress user accounts; 6) Stay alert for official patches or updates from the vendor and apply them promptly once available; 7) Consider implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce risk of credential compromise; 8) Conduct regular security assessments of WordPress plugins and configurations to detect similar authorization issues proactively.