CVE-2025-14172 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the WP Page Permalink Extension plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.5.4. The root cause is the absence of proper authorization checks in the function cwpp_trigger_flush_rewrite_rules, which is triggered via the AJAX action wp_ajax_cwpp_trigger_flush_rewrite_rules. This function allows flushing of the site's rewrite rules, a critical operation that affects how URLs are interpreted and routed by WordPress. Because the authorization is missing, any authenticated user with at least Subscriber-level privileges can invoke this function remotely without further privilege verification. Exploiting this vulnerability can lead to unintended flushing of rewrite rules, potentially causing site downtime, broken links, or denial of service conditions. The CVSS v3.1 score is 6.5 (medium severity), reflecting the network attack vector, low attack complexity, no user interaction, and impact on integrity and availability but not confidentiality. No patches or known exploits are currently documented, but the vulnerability poses a risk especially in environments where multiple users have Subscriber or higher roles. The flaw is significant because it allows low-privileged users to perform administrative-like actions, undermining the principle of least privilege. Organizations relying on this plugin should monitor for suspicious AJAX requests and restrict user roles to trusted individuals until a patch is released.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to service disruptions by allowing low-privileged users to flush rewrite rules, potentially causing broken URLs, loss of site functionality, or denial of service. While it does not expose sensitive data, the integrity and availability of websites are at risk, which can damage reputation and user trust. Organizations with multi-user WordPress environments or those that allow Subscriber-level access broadly are particularly vulnerable. Attackers could exploit this to disrupt marketing sites, e-commerce platforms, or internal portals, impacting business operations. The medium severity indicates a moderate risk, but the ease of exploitation by low-privileged users increases the threat. European companies relying on WordPress for critical web infrastructure should consider this vulnerability a priority to address, especially those in sectors like media, retail, and government where web presence is vital.

Immediate mitigation steps include restricting the capability to trigger the wp_ajax_cwpp_trigger_flush_rewrite_rules action to trusted roles only, such as Administrators, by implementing custom access controls or filters in WordPress. Monitoring and logging AJAX requests related to this action can help detect exploitation attempts. Limiting Subscriber-level user registrations and reviewing user roles to ensure minimal privileges are assigned can reduce risk. Applying web application firewall (WAF) rules to block unauthorized AJAX calls targeting this endpoint is recommended. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling or removing the WP Page Permalink Extension plugin if feasible. Once a vendor patch or update is available, apply it promptly. Additionally, educate site administrators about the risks of granting unnecessary privileges and enforce strong user management policies.