CVE-2025-12494 is an authorization vulnerability categorized under CWE-285 that affects the 'Image Gallery – Photo Grid & Video Gallery' WordPress plugin developed by wpchill. The vulnerability exists in the ajax_import_file function, which fails to properly validate file paths before performing file operations. This flaw allows authenticated users with author-level privileges or higher to perform arbitrary file deletion or movement on the server hosting the WordPress site. Since author-level users typically have permissions to upload and manage content, this vulnerability escalates their ability to manipulate files beyond intended scope, potentially leading to data integrity issues or disruption of website content. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network without requiring user interaction, increasing its risk profile. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting the limited scope of impact (integrity only), the requirement for authenticated access, and the lack of impact on confidentiality or availability. No patches or updates are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.12.28 of the plugin. Given the widespread use of WordPress and this plugin for image galleries, the vulnerability poses a moderate risk to websites that rely on this plugin for media management.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modification or deletion of image files hosted on WordPress sites using the affected plugin. This can disrupt website content, damage brand reputation, and potentially cause operational issues if critical media assets are lost or manipulated. While it does not directly expose sensitive data or cause denial of service, the integrity compromise can be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain, such as defacement or social engineering campaigns. Organizations with multiple content authors or contributors are at higher risk since the attack requires author-level access. Sectors relying heavily on web presence, including e-commerce, media, education, and government, may face increased exposure. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability's presence in a popular plugin means attackers could develop exploits, increasing future risk.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict author-level access strictly to trusted users and review user roles regularly to minimize the number of users with elevated privileges. 2) Monitor file system changes on web servers hosting WordPress sites, focusing on image directories managed by the plugin, to detect unauthorized file deletions or movements. 3) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious ajax_import_file requests that attempt to manipulate file paths. 4) Isolate WordPress installations in segmented environments to limit lateral movement if exploitation occurs. 5) Regularly audit installed plugins and maintain an inventory to quickly identify vulnerable versions. 6) Engage with the plugin vendor or community to obtain patches or updates as soon as they become available and apply them promptly. 7) Consider implementing file integrity monitoring solutions tailored for web content directories. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, monitoring, and proactive patch management specific to this vulnerability.