The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-13405 affects the Ace Post Type Builder plugin for WordPress, developed by buywptemplates. This plugin allows users to create and manage custom post types and taxonomies within WordPress. The flaw lies in the cptb_delete_custom_taxonomy() function, which lacks proper authorization validation. As a result, any authenticated user with at least Subscriber-level access can invoke this function to delete arbitrary custom taxonomies without permission. Custom taxonomies are critical for organizing content and metadata in WordPress; unauthorized deletion can disrupt site navigation, SEO, and content management workflows. The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges beyond Subscriber, nor does it require user interaction, making it relatively easy to exploit in environments where multiple users have low-level access. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.3 (medium) reflects the vulnerability's impact on integrity without affecting confidentiality or availability. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, but the risk remains significant for sites relying on this plugin. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), indicating a failure to enforce proper access controls. This issue affects all versions up to and including 1.9 of the plugin, which is widely used in WordPress installations that require custom content structures.

For European organizations, the impact centers on the integrity of WordPress-based websites that utilize the Ace Post Type Builder plugin. Unauthorized deletion of custom taxonomies can lead to loss or misclassification of content, negatively affecting user experience, SEO rankings, and potentially causing business disruption, especially for e-commerce, media, and content-heavy sites. Organizations with multiple users assigned Subscriber or higher roles are particularly vulnerable, as attackers can exploit these accounts to manipulate site taxonomy without detection. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity compromise can lead to reputational damage and operational inefficiencies. Additionally, recovery from unauthorized taxonomy deletion may require manual restoration or site rollback, increasing administrative overhead. Given WordPress’s popularity in Europe, especially among SMEs and content publishers, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk to a broad range of sectors including retail, publishing, and education.

1. Monitor for plugin updates from buywptemplates and apply patches immediately once released to address the authorization flaw. 2. Until a patch is available, restrict Subscriber-level and above accounts to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of exploitation. 3. Implement strict role-based access controls and audit user permissions regularly to ensure minimal privileges are granted. 4. Employ WordPress security plugins that can monitor and alert on taxonomy changes or suspicious activity related to custom post types. 5. Regularly back up WordPress site data, including custom taxonomies, to enable quick restoration in case of unauthorized deletions. 6. Consider disabling or replacing the Ace Post Type Builder plugin if it is not essential or if alternative plugins with better security posture are available. 7. Educate site administrators and users about the risks of low-privilege account compromise and encourage strong authentication practices. 8. Use web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting taxonomy deletion endpoints.