CVE-2025-12086 is an authorization bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key) affecting the Return Refund and Exchange For WooCommerce plugin for WordPress. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 4.5.5 and is triggered via the 'wps_rma_cancel_return_request' AJAX endpoint. This endpoint lacks proper validation of a user-controlled key parameter, allowing authenticated users with Subscriber-level privileges or higher to delete refund requests submitted by other users. This insecure direct object reference (IDOR) flaw enables attackers to manipulate refund data without proper authorization checks. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring user interaction beyond authentication. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting low impact on confidentiality and availability but a partial impact on data integrity. Although no public exploits are known at this time, the flaw poses a risk to the integrity of refund management processes in WooCommerce stores using this plugin. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust access control and input validation in e-commerce plugins handling sensitive transactional data.

For European organizations operating WooCommerce-based e-commerce platforms, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized deletion of refund requests, undermining customer trust and potentially causing financial discrepancies. While it does not expose sensitive customer data or disrupt service availability, the integrity of refund and exchange processes is compromised. This could result in customer dissatisfaction, increased support costs, and reputational damage. Attackers with minimal privileges can exploit the flaw, increasing the risk of insider threats or compromised subscriber accounts being leveraged. The impact is particularly significant for businesses with high refund volumes or those relying heavily on automated refund workflows. Regulatory compliance risks may also arise if refund records are manipulated, affecting audit trails and consumer protection obligations under European laws such as GDPR and consumer rights directives.

1. Monitor the vendor's official channels for patches addressing CVE-2025-12086 and apply updates promptly once available. 2. Until patched, restrict Subscriber-level permissions to the minimum necessary, potentially disabling refund request cancellation capabilities for these users. 3. Implement additional server-side validation to verify that refund cancellation requests correspond only to the authenticated user's own refund requests. 4. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious AJAX requests targeting the 'wps_rma_cancel_return_request' endpoint. 5. Conduct regular audits of refund request logs to detect unauthorized deletions or anomalies. 6. Educate administrators and support staff about the vulnerability to recognize potential abuse patterns. 7. Consider isolating or sandboxing refund management functionality to limit the blast radius of potential exploits. 8. Review and tighten overall WordPress user role permissions to minimize privilege escalation risks.