CVE-2025-14998 is a critical authorization bypass vulnerability identified in the Branda – White Label & Branding, Free Login Page Customizer plugin for WordPress, developed by wpmudev. The flaw stems from improper validation of user identity before allowing password changes, enabling unauthenticated attackers to arbitrarily reset passwords of any user, including administrators. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key). Since the plugin does not verify the legitimacy of the password update request, attackers can exploit this to take over accounts without needing any prior authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 3.4.24. The CVSS v3.1 score is 9.8 (critical), with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s nature makes it highly exploitable and dangerous. This can lead to complete site compromise, data theft, defacement, or use of the site as a pivot point for further attacks. The vulnerability was reserved on 2025-12-20 and published on 2026-01-02. No official patches are linked yet, so mitigation strategies must be prioritized by affected organizations.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a severe risk to WordPress-based websites using the Branda plugin. Successful exploitation allows attackers to hijack administrator accounts, leading to full control over the website and potentially the underlying server environment. This can result in data breaches, defacement, loss of customer trust, and disruption of business operations. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, government, media, and critical infrastructure that rely on WordPress for public-facing sites are particularly vulnerable. The ability to change passwords without authentication means attackers can bypass all standard security controls, making detection difficult until damage is done. Additionally, compromised sites can be used to distribute malware or launch attacks on other internal systems. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the critical severity demands immediate attention.

1. Immediately update the Branda plugin to a patched version once available from the vendor. Monitor wpmudev’s official channels for patch releases. 2. Until a patch is released, disable or deactivate the Branda plugin to eliminate the attack surface. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious password reset requests targeting the plugin’s endpoints. 4. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all administrator accounts to reduce the impact of compromised credentials. 5. Conduct regular audits of user accounts and password changes to detect unauthorized modifications. 6. Restrict access to WordPress admin interfaces by IP whitelisting or VPN where feasible. 7. Monitor logs for unusual activity related to password changes or login attempts. 8. Educate site administrators about this vulnerability and encourage immediate action. 9. Consider isolating critical WordPress instances from sensitive internal networks to limit lateral movement if compromised. 10. Backup website data and configurations regularly to enable rapid recovery in case of compromise.