CVE-2025-14618 identifies a missing authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) in the Sweet Energy Efficiency plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.0.6. The vulnerability exists because the AJAX handler 'sweet_energy_efficiency_action' does not perform proper capability checks, allowing authenticated users with subscriber-level permissions or higher to bypass intended access controls. This flaw enables these users to read, modify, and delete arbitrary graphs managed by the plugin, which could represent energy efficiency data visualizations or reports. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring only privileges of a subscriber or above (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the plugin's data and does not extend to other system components. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, reflecting a medium severity primarily due to the integrity impact (I:L) without affecting confidentiality or availability. No patches or fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. The vulnerability could be leveraged by malicious insiders or compromised low-privilege accounts to alter or delete energy efficiency data, potentially undermining trust in the plugin's reporting and analytics. This is particularly concerning for organizations relying on this plugin for operational or compliance purposes. The vulnerability highlights the importance of enforcing strict authorization checks on all AJAX endpoints in WordPress plugins to prevent privilege escalation or unauthorized data manipulation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-14618 centers on the integrity of data managed by the Sweet Energy Efficiency plugin. Unauthorized modification or deletion of graphs could disrupt energy efficiency monitoring, reporting, or compliance activities, especially in sectors like utilities, manufacturing, or government agencies focused on sustainability. While confidentiality and availability are not directly affected, data tampering could lead to incorrect decision-making or regulatory non-compliance. Organizations with subscriber-level users or external contributors on their WordPress sites are at risk of exploitation if the plugin is installed and active. The medium CVSS score indicates moderate risk, but the potential for insider threats or compromised accounts to manipulate data elevates concern. Additionally, the lack of a patch increases exposure time. European entities involved in energy management or environmental reporting may face reputational damage or operational setbacks if this vulnerability is exploited. The threat is less critical for organizations not using this plugin or those with strict user access controls and monitoring in place.

To mitigate CVE-2025-14618, European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Immediately audit WordPress installations to identify the presence of the Sweet Energy Efficiency plugin and verify the version in use. 2) Restrict user roles and permissions to minimize subscriber-level accounts where possible, especially on sites handling sensitive energy data. 3) Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to monitor and block unauthorized AJAX requests targeting 'sweet_energy_efficiency_action'. 4) If feasible, temporarily disable the plugin until a vendor patch or update is released. 5) Review and harden WordPress security configurations, including enforcing strong authentication and session management. 6) Monitor logs for unusual activity from low-privilege users that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7) Engage with the plugin vendor or community to obtain or contribute patches that add proper capability checks to the AJAX handler. 8) Educate site administrators and users about the risks of unauthorized access and the importance of role-based access control. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific attack vector and plugin context.