The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-12640 affects the WordPress plugin 'Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager' developed by galdub. This plugin is designed to help organize media files, pages, posts, and files within WordPress through folder structures. The security flaw is classified under CWE-862, indicating missing authorization checks at the object level. Specifically, the handle_folders_file_upload() function does not properly verify whether the authenticated user has permission to replace a given media file. As a result, any user with Author-level access or higher can arbitrarily replace media files in the WordPress Media Library. This could allow an attacker to upload malicious files disguised as legitimate media, potentially leading to content defacement, misinformation, or embedding malicious scripts if the media is used in web pages. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.3 (medium severity), with the vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, privileges required at the level of an authenticated author, no user interaction needed, and impact limited to integrity loss without affecting confidentiality or availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability is present in all versions up to and including 3.1.5 of the plugin. The issue was reserved in November 2025 and published in January 2026. Since the plugin is widely used in WordPress environments, this vulnerability poses a risk to websites relying on it for media management, especially those with multiple authors or contributors.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability primarily concerns the integrity of web content hosted on WordPress sites using the affected plugin. Unauthorized replacement of media files can lead to defacement, misinformation, or the injection of malicious content such as scripts or malware embedded in media files. This can damage brand reputation, erode user trust, and potentially lead to secondary attacks if malicious media is served to visitors. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity compromise can have downstream effects, including phishing or social engineering attacks leveraging altered media. Organizations with collaborative content creation environments, such as media companies, educational institutions, and e-commerce platforms, are at higher risk due to the presence of multiple users with Author-level access. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits over time. Compliance with European data protection and cybersecurity regulations may also be affected if the integrity breach leads to broader security incidents.

1. Immediately review and restrict user roles and permissions within WordPress, ensuring that only trusted users have Author-level or higher access. 2. Monitor media library changes and uploads for unusual or unauthorized modifications, using logging and alerting tools. 3. Implement application-level controls or plugins that enforce stricter authorization checks on media file operations. 4. Regularly audit installed plugins and remove or replace those that are outdated or no longer maintained. 5. Since no patch links are currently available, maintain contact with the plugin vendor for updates and apply patches promptly once released. 6. Consider temporarily disabling or limiting the use of the affected plugin if feasible until a fix is available. 7. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious file upload activities related to this plugin. 8. Educate content authors and administrators about the risks of unauthorized media replacement and encourage vigilance.