CVE-2025-12167 identifies a missing authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) in the Contact Form 7 AWeber Extension plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 0.1.42. The flaw exists in the AJAX endpoint 'wp_ajax_aweber_logreset', which lacks proper capability checks to verify if the authenticated user has sufficient privileges to perform log resets. As a result, any authenticated user with at least Subscriber-level access can invoke this endpoint to reset AWeber logs, which are typically used for tracking email marketing activities and integration events. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting the low impact on confidentiality and availability but a partial impact on integrity due to unauthorized log modification. No patches or fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. This vulnerability could be leveraged by low-privileged insiders or compromised accounts to erase or manipulate logs, potentially hiding malicious actions or disrupting forensic investigations. The plugin is used primarily in WordPress environments that integrate AWeber email marketing services, which are common in small to medium-sized businesses and marketing-focused websites.

For European organizations, the primary impact is on the integrity of log data related to AWeber email marketing activities. Unauthorized resetting of logs can hinder incident detection and response by obscuring evidence of malicious or unauthorized actions. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise sensitive data confidentiality or system availability, it weakens audit trails and accountability. Organizations relying on Contact Form 7 AWeber Extension for marketing automation or customer engagement may face increased risk of insider threats or exploitation of compromised low-privilege accounts. This could lead to undetected fraudulent activities, data manipulation, or compliance issues, especially under regulations like GDPR that emphasize data integrity and auditability. The risk is heightened in environments where multiple users have Subscriber-level access or higher without strict role management. Additionally, attackers could use this vulnerability as part of a broader attack chain to cover tracks after escalating privileges or exfiltrating data.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should immediately audit user roles and permissions, ensuring that Subscriber-level access is granted only to trusted users. Implement strict role-based access control (RBAC) policies limiting the number of users with authenticated access to WordPress admin or subscriber roles. Since no official patch is currently available, administrators should consider applying custom code to add capability checks on the 'wp_ajax_aweber_logreset' endpoint, restricting its use to Administrator or Editor roles only. Monitoring and logging of AJAX requests to this endpoint should be enabled to detect suspicious reset attempts. Additionally, organizations should review and harden WordPress security configurations, including two-factor authentication for all users with access, and regularly update plugins and WordPress core to the latest versions once patches are released. Employing web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to block unauthorized AJAX calls can provide an additional layer of defense. Finally, maintain regular backups of logs and critical data to enable recovery in case of tampering.