CVE-2025-14508 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the WordPress plugin MediaCommander – Bring Folders to Media, Posts, and Pages, which facilitates folder organization for media, posts, and pages. The vulnerability exists because the import-csv REST API endpoint performs a destructive operation—deleting all folder organization data—while only enforcing the 'upload_files' capability check. This capability is granted to users with Author-level access, which is insufficient for such a destructive action that should be restricted to administrators or higher privileged roles. Consequently, any authenticated user with Author privileges or above can invoke this endpoint to delete folder structures created by other users, including administrators, leading to loss of organizational data. The vulnerability affects all plugin versions up to and including 2.3.1. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, privileges required (Author level), no user interaction, unchanged scope, no confidentiality impact, high integrity impact, and no availability impact. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available. The vulnerability primarily threatens data integrity by enabling unauthorized deletion of folder metadata, which could disrupt content management workflows and cause operational difficulties. Since the attack requires authenticated access at Author level or higher, the risk is mitigated somewhat by proper user role management but remains significant in environments with multiple authors or contributors.

For European organizations, the primary impact is the unauthorized deletion of folder organization data within WordPress sites using the affected plugin. This can disrupt content management, cause loss of structured media and post organization, and increase recovery costs and downtime. Organizations relying heavily on WordPress for digital content publishing, especially those with multiple authors or contributors, face a higher risk of internal misuse or exploitation by compromised Author-level accounts. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity loss can affect business operations, content workflows, and user trust. In sectors such as media, publishing, education, and e-commerce, where structured content organization is critical, this vulnerability could lead to operational inefficiencies and potential reputational damage. Additionally, the ease of exploitation (low complexity, network accessible) means attackers with Author-level credentials can quickly cause damage without requiring user interaction. European organizations with less stringent user role management or those that do not regularly audit user privileges are particularly vulnerable.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should immediately review and restrict user roles to ensure only trusted users have Author-level or higher access. Implement the principle of least privilege by limiting the number of users who can upload files or manage media folders. Monitor REST API usage logs for unusual or unauthorized calls to the import-csv endpoint. If possible, disable or restrict access to the import-csv REST API endpoint until a patch is available. Regularly update the MediaCommander plugin to the latest version once a security patch is released by the vendor. Consider implementing Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block unauthorized API calls targeting this endpoint. Conduct internal audits of WordPress user roles and permissions to identify and remediate excessive privileges. Backup folder organization data regularly to enable quick recovery in case of deletion. Engage with the plugin vendor or community to track patch releases and security advisories.