CVE-2025-14996 is a critical authorization bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-639, affecting the AS Password Field In Default Registration Form plugin for WordPress developed by aksharsoftsolutions. The vulnerability arises because the plugin fails to properly validate a user's identity before allowing password updates via the default registration form. This flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to arbitrarily change passwords of any user account, including those with administrative privileges, effectively allowing privilege escalation and account takeover. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.0.0. The attack vector requires no authentication or user interaction, making exploitation straightforward over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 9.8, reflecting the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as attackers can gain full control over compromised accounts and potentially the entire WordPress site. Although no active exploits have been reported, the severity and ease of exploitation make this a critical threat. The vulnerability was reserved in late 2025 and published in early 2026, with no patches currently available, increasing the urgency for mitigation. Organizations using this plugin should assume all versions are vulnerable and take immediate action to prevent unauthorized access.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the security of WordPress-based websites, especially those relying on the AS Password Field In Default Registration Form plugin. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized administrative access, enabling attackers to manipulate website content, steal sensitive data, deploy malware, or disrupt services. This can result in data breaches, reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and operational downtime. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and e-commerce, which often use WordPress for public-facing sites or internal portals, are particularly vulnerable. The ease of exploitation without authentication or user interaction increases the likelihood of automated attacks targeting vulnerable sites across Europe. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a limited window for proactive defense, but the critical severity demands immediate attention to avoid potential widespread compromise.

1. Immediately audit all WordPress installations to identify the presence of the AS Password Field In Default Registration Form plugin. 2. Disable or remove the plugin if it is not essential to reduce the attack surface. 3. If the plugin is required, monitor the vendor’s communications closely for any forthcoming patches or updates addressing this vulnerability. 4. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious password change requests originating from unauthenticated sources targeting the registration form endpoint. 5. Restrict access to the registration form URL via IP whitelisting or CAPTCHA challenges to hinder automated exploitation attempts. 6. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all administrative accounts to mitigate the impact of compromised credentials. 7. Regularly review user account activities and password changes for anomalies. 8. Consider deploying intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on unusual access patterns related to password resets. 9. Educate site administrators about the risks and signs of compromise related to this vulnerability. 10. Prepare incident response plans to quickly contain and remediate any detected exploitation attempts.