CVE-2025-14392 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) affecting the Simple Theme Changer plugin for WordPress developed by darendev. The flaw exists because the plugin fails to perform proper capability checks on three critical actions: user_theme_admin, display_method_admin, and set_change_theme_button_name. These actions control the modification of the plugin's settings, which can influence the appearance and behavior of WordPress themes. Since the authorization checks are missing, any authenticated user with subscriber-level privileges or higher can invoke these actions to alter plugin configurations without having the necessary administrative rights. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.0 of the plugin. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based, requires low attack complexity, and privileges at the level of an authenticated user, but does not impact confidentiality or availability, only integrity. No user interaction is required, and the scope remains unchanged as the vulnerability affects only the plugin itself. Although no public exploits have been reported, the risk lies in unauthorized configuration changes that could be leveraged for further attacks or to weaken site security. The vulnerability was published on December 12, 2025, with no patches currently available, emphasizing the need for immediate mitigation steps.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to the integrity of WordPress site configurations. Unauthorized modification of theme settings could lead to visual defacement, insertion of malicious code via theme manipulation, or enabling of insecure features, potentially facilitating phishing or malware distribution. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity compromise can undermine trust in affected websites and lead to reputational damage. Organizations relying on WordPress for public-facing websites, intranets, or e-commerce platforms could see indirect impacts such as customer distrust or compliance issues if manipulated content violates regulatory standards. The ease of exploitation by low-privilege authenticated users increases the threat surface, especially in environments with many registered users or weak internal access controls. Given the widespread use of WordPress across Europe, the vulnerability could affect a significant number of sites if unaddressed.

1. Immediately restrict user roles and permissions to ensure that only trusted administrators have access to WordPress accounts with subscriber-level privileges or higher. 2. Implement strict role-based access controls (RBAC) and audit user accounts to remove unnecessary privileges. 3. Monitor plugin settings and logs for unauthorized changes, focusing on the affected actions (user_theme_admin, display_method_admin, set_change_theme_button_name). 4. Disable or uninstall the Simple Theme Changer plugin if it is not essential to reduce the attack surface. 5. Stay alert for official patches or updates from darendev and apply them promptly once released. 6. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the vulnerable plugin actions. 7. Educate site administrators and users about the risks of privilege misuse and enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as MFA to reduce the risk of compromised accounts. 8. Regularly back up WordPress configurations and themes to enable quick restoration if unauthorized changes occur.