CVE-2025-12415 identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the MapMap plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.1. The vulnerability stems from missing or incorrect nonce validation in three administrative functions: admin_shortcode_submit, admin_configuration_submit, and admin_shortcode_delete. Nonces in WordPress are security tokens used to verify that requests originate from legitimate users and not from forged sources. The absence or improper implementation of nonce checks allows an attacker to craft malicious requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator (via clicking a malicious link or visiting a crafted webpage), can alter plugin settings or inject malicious scripts. This can compromise the integrity of the plugin's configuration and potentially lead to further attacks such as stored cross-site scripting (XSS). The vulnerability does not require the attacker to have privileges or prior authentication, but it does require user interaction from an administrator. The CVSS 3.1 score of 6.1 reflects a medium severity, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and a scope change indicating that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. No patches or fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability is assigned CWE-352, which is a common web security weakness related to CSRF attacks. Given the widespread use of WordPress and the popularity of plugins for site customization, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk to sites using MapMap, especially those with multiple administrators or less security awareness.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-12415 can be significant in environments where the MapMap plugin is deployed on WordPress sites. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized changes in plugin settings, potentially disrupting site functionality or enabling further malicious activities such as persistent cross-site scripting or defacement. This compromises the integrity of the affected websites and can erode user trust. While availability is not directly impacted, the integrity and confidentiality of administrative functions are at risk. Organizations relying on WordPress for public-facing or internal portals may face reputational damage, data leakage, or compliance issues if attackers leverage this vulnerability. The requirement for administrator interaction means social engineering or phishing campaigns targeting administrators are likely attack vectors. European entities with strict data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) must consider the implications of unauthorized configuration changes and potential data exposure. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often weaponize such vulnerabilities once disclosed.

To mitigate CVE-2025-12415, organizations should first verify if the MapMap plugin is installed and identify the version in use. Since no official patch links are provided, administrators should monitor the plugin vendor’s communications for updates or patches addressing nonce validation. In the interim, applying Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious POST requests targeting the vulnerable admin functions can reduce risk. Restricting administrative access to trusted IP addresses and enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for WordPress administrators can limit the likelihood of successful exploitation. Educating administrators about phishing and social engineering risks is critical to prevent inadvertent interaction with malicious links. Additionally, reviewing and hardening WordPress security configurations, including disabling unused plugins and limiting plugin permissions, will reduce the attack surface. Regular backups and monitoring for unauthorized changes in plugin settings or injected scripts can aid in early detection and recovery. Finally, consider isolating critical WordPress instances or using security plugins that enforce nonce validation and other best practices.