CVE-2025-14866 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization) found in the Melapress Role Editor plugin for WordPress. This plugin allows administrators to manage user roles, but due to a misconfigured capability check in the 'save_secondary_roles_field' function, it fails to properly verify whether the authenticated user has the necessary permissions to assign roles. Specifically, any authenticated user with Subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this flaw to escalate their privileges by assigning themselves additional roles, including the Administrator role. This results in a complete compromise of the WordPress site, granting full control over site content, configurations, and potentially sensitive data. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.1.1, with no patch currently available as per the provided data. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, indicating high severity, with attack vector being network-based, low attack complexity, requiring low privileges but no user interaction, and impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. While no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature makes it a prime target for attackers seeking to gain administrative access to WordPress sites. The plugin's widespread use in WordPress environments increases the attack surface, especially for sites that allow Subscriber-level users to authenticate. The flaw stems from improper authorization logic, a common security oversight in role management plugins, emphasizing the need for rigorous capability checks in WordPress plugin development.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk of unauthorized privilege escalation leading to full site compromise. Attackers exploiting this flaw can manipulate website content, inject malicious code, steal sensitive data, or disrupt services, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Organizations relying on WordPress for their web presence, especially those using the Melapress Role Editor plugin, face potential brand damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR breaches due to data exposure), and operational disruptions. The ability for low-privilege users to escalate privileges without user interaction increases the risk of insider threats or automated attacks leveraging compromised subscriber accounts. Given the criticality of web infrastructure in sectors like finance, healthcare, and government within Europe, exploitation could lead to severe economic and reputational consequences. Additionally, the lack of a current patch means organizations must rely on interim mitigations, increasing exposure duration. The threat is amplified in environments where user account management is lax or where multiple users have subscriber-level access.

Until an official patch is released, European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Restrict Subscriber-level user registrations and access to trusted individuals only, minimizing the attack surface. 2) Implement custom code or use security plugins to enforce strict capability checks on role assignment functions, effectively overriding the vulnerable 'save_secondary_roles_field' behavior. 3) Monitor WordPress user role changes closely with audit logging and alerting to detect unauthorized privilege escalations promptly. 4) Limit plugin installation and management permissions strictly to site administrators to prevent unauthorized plugin modifications. 5) Consider temporarily disabling or uninstalling the Melapress Role Editor plugin if feasible until a secure version is available. 6) Harden WordPress installations by applying the principle of least privilege across all user roles and regularly reviewing user permissions. 7) Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting role assignment endpoints. 8) Educate site administrators and users about the risks of privilege escalation and the importance of strong authentication practices. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling user capabilities, monitoring role changes, and minimizing exposure to the vulnerable plugin functionality.