The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-12676 affects the KiotViet Sync plugin for WordPress, a tool used to synchronize product data between WordPress sites and the KiotViet platform. The root cause is the use of a hardcoded password within the QueryControllerAdmin::authenticated function, which is intended to authenticate administrative actions. This hardcoded credential allows any unauthenticated attacker to bypass authorization checks, granting them the ability to create and synchronize products without proper permissions. Since the vulnerability is exploitable remotely without any user interaction or prior authentication, it presents a significant risk to affected systems. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.3 reflects a medium severity, primarily due to the impact on integrity (unauthorized modification of product data) without direct confidentiality or availability consequences. No patches or updates are currently linked, indicating that users must take immediate manual remediation steps. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Password), a common security weakness that undermines authentication mechanisms and can lead to unauthorized access. While no active exploitation has been reported, the simplicity of the attack vector makes it a likely target for opportunistic attackers, especially in environments where the plugin is widely deployed.

For European organizations, the exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized modification of product data within e-commerce platforms, potentially causing inventory inaccuracies, pricing manipulation, or fraudulent product listings. This can damage business reputation, disrupt sales operations, and lead to financial losses. Organizations relying on KiotViet Sync for supply chain synchronization may experience data integrity issues that affect order fulfillment and customer satisfaction. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or availability, the integrity impact alone can have cascading effects on business processes. Additionally, attackers could leverage the unauthorized access to implant further malicious code or pivot to other parts of the network if additional vulnerabilities exist. The medium severity rating suggests that while the threat is serious, it may not cause catastrophic damage if promptly addressed. However, the ease of exploitation and lack of authentication requirements increase the urgency for mitigation in European markets with significant WordPress and KiotViet usage.

Immediate mitigation steps include disabling the KiotViet Sync plugin until a secure update is released. Organizations should monitor official vendor channels for patches addressing the hardcoded password issue. In the absence of an official patch, administrators can manually inspect and remove or replace the hardcoded password in the plugin code, implementing secure authentication methods such as OAuth or API keys with proper access controls. Regularly audit WordPress plugins for security compliance and limit plugin usage to trusted sources. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the vulnerable endpoints. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on WordPress administrative interfaces to detect unauthorized activities. Finally, conduct thorough incident response readiness to quickly identify and remediate any exploitation attempts.