CVE-2025-14829 is a critical security vulnerability identified in the E-xact | Hosted Payment | WordPress plugin versions up to 2.0. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862, which relates to missing authorization, allowing unauthenticated attackers to perform arbitrary file deletion on the server hosting the plugin. The root cause is insufficient validation of file paths within the plugin's code, enabling attackers to specify and delete files beyond intended boundaries. This lack of authorization checks means that no user authentication or privileges are required to exploit the flaw, significantly lowering the barrier for attackers. The arbitrary file deletion capability can be leveraged to remove critical system or application files, potentially causing denial of service, data loss, or facilitating further attacks such as privilege escalation or persistent backdoors. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability's nature and ease of exploitation make it a high-risk threat. The plugin is commonly used in WordPress environments for hosted payment processing, making it a valuable target for attackers aiming to disrupt e-commerce operations or compromise payment infrastructure. The absence of a CVSS score necessitates a severity assessment based on impact and exploitability factors. Given the potential for unauthenticated arbitrary file deletion, the threat is considered critical. Organizations using this plugin should prioritize mitigation to prevent exploitation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-14829 can be severe, especially for those relying on the E-xact | Hosted Payment | plugin for processing payments on WordPress sites. Arbitrary file deletion can lead to immediate service disruption, loss of critical website or server files, and potential downtime affecting customer transactions and trust. This can result in financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory scrutiny, particularly under GDPR if personal data is compromised or service availability is impacted. Additionally, attackers could delete security or logging files, hindering incident detection and response efforts. The vulnerability's unauthenticated nature increases the risk of widespread exploitation, potentially affecting multiple organizations simultaneously. The threat is particularly relevant for sectors with high e-commerce activity, such as retail, travel, and financial services, where payment processing integrity is paramount. Furthermore, disruption of payment infrastructure could have cascading effects on supply chains and customer relations across Europe.

1. Monitor for official patches or updates from the E-xact plugin developers and apply them immediately once available. 2. Until patches are released, restrict file system permissions for the web server user to the minimum necessary, preventing deletion of critical files outside the plugin's scope. 3. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests attempting to exploit file path parameters. 4. Conduct thorough code reviews and penetration testing focused on file handling and authorization controls within the plugin and related components. 5. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all file path parameters to prevent directory traversal or arbitrary file access. 6. Maintain regular backups of website and server files to enable rapid recovery in case of file deletion. 7. Monitor server and application logs for unusual file deletion activities or unauthorized access attempts. 8. Consider isolating payment processing components in segmented environments to limit the blast radius of potential exploits.