The vulnerability CVE-2025-12362 affects the myCred plugin for WordPress, which is widely used for managing gamification elements like points, ranks, badges, and loyalty rewards. The root cause is a Missing Authorization (CWE-862) flaw where the plugin fails to verify whether a user is authorized to perform sensitive actions. Specifically, the cashcred_pay_now AJAX action can be invoked by unauthenticated attackers to approve withdrawal requests, alter user point balances, and manipulate payment processing workflows. This lack of proper access control means that attackers can escalate privileges without any authentication or user interaction, leading to unauthorized financial transactions or point manipulations. The vulnerability affects all versions up to 2.9.7, with no patch currently linked. The CVSS v3.1 score is 5.3 (medium severity), reflecting the ease of exploitation (network vector, no privileges required) but limited impact on confidentiality and availability. The integrity of the points and payment systems is compromised, which could lead to fraudulent financial gains or disruption of loyalty programs. No known exploits have been observed in the wild yet, but the vulnerability presents a significant risk for organizations relying on this plugin for customer engagement and payment processing.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for e-commerce platforms, membership sites, or any business leveraging the myCred plugin for loyalty and rewards programs. Attackers exploiting this flaw can approve unauthorized withdrawal requests, effectively causing financial losses. They can also manipulate user point balances, undermining the integrity and trustworthiness of loyalty programs, which can damage brand reputation and customer trust. Since the vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote exploitation, attackers can operate at scale, potentially targeting multiple organizations. The manipulation of payment processing systems could also lead to regulatory compliance issues, especially under GDPR and financial regulations, due to fraudulent transactions and improper handling of user data. Although availability and confidentiality are not directly impacted, the integrity loss and financial fraud potential make this a critical concern for businesses relying on the plugin in Europe’s competitive digital economy.

1. Monitor the vendor’s official channels for patches and apply updates promptly once available. 2. Until a patch is released, restrict access to the cashcred_pay_now AJAX endpoint by implementing web application firewall (WAF) rules that block unauthenticated requests to this action. 3. Employ strict role-based access controls within WordPress to limit who can approve withdrawal requests or modify point balances. 4. Enable detailed logging and real-time monitoring of point transactions and withdrawal approvals to detect suspicious activities early. 5. Consider temporarily disabling the myCred plugin or the affected features if feasible, especially on high-risk or public-facing sites. 6. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on AJAX endpoints and authorization checks. 7. Educate administrators about the risk and signs of exploitation to improve incident response readiness.