CVE-2025-14442 identifies a vulnerability in the ays-pro Secure Copy Content Protection and Content Locking plugin for WordPress, which is widely used to protect and lock content on websites. The flaw arises because the plugin exports sensitive user data into CSV files that are stored in a publicly accessible directory with predictable filenames. This design flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to directly access these CSV files via HTTP requests without any authentication or user interaction. The exposed data includes personally identifiable information (PII) such as user emails, IP addresses, usernames, user roles, and location data. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-552, indicating files or directories accessible to external parties. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium severity), reflecting the ease of remote exploitation (network vector, no privileges required, no user interaction) but limited impact to confidentiality only, with no integrity or availability impact. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to and including 4.9.2. No patches or updates are currently linked, and no known exploits have been observed in the wild. The exposure of sensitive data can lead to privacy violations, targeted phishing, or further attacks leveraging the leaked information. This vulnerability is particularly concerning for organizations subject to strict data protection regulations such as GDPR in Europe.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses significant privacy and compliance risks. The unauthorized disclosure of user emails, IP addresses, and location data can lead to violations of GDPR and other privacy laws, potentially resulting in regulatory fines and reputational damage. The leaked information can also facilitate targeted phishing campaigns, social engineering, or identity theft. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication and can be exploited remotely, any WordPress site using the affected plugin is at risk of data leakage. This is especially critical for organizations handling sensitive user data or operating in sectors with stringent data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government. The medium severity score reflects that while the impact is limited to confidentiality, the scale of data exposure and ease of exploitation increase the threat level. European organizations relying on WordPress plugins for content protection must consider this vulnerability a priority to avoid data breaches and maintain compliance.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should immediately restrict public access to directories where exported CSV files are stored. This can be achieved by configuring web server access controls (e.g., .htaccess rules for Apache or equivalent for Nginx) to deny direct HTTP access to export folders. Implementing unpredictable, randomized filenames for exported files can reduce the risk of attackers guessing file locations. Organizations should monitor their WordPress installations for the presence of the ays-pro Secure Copy Content Protection and Content Locking plugin and verify the plugin version. Until an official patch is released, consider disabling the export functionality or the plugin entirely if feasible. Regularly audit file permissions and directory structures to ensure sensitive data is not publicly accessible. Additionally, organizations should review their data retention policies to minimize the storage of sensitive exports and ensure compliance with GDPR data minimization principles. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups and monitor web server logs for suspicious access patterns targeting export files.