CVE-2025-3452 is a vulnerability identified in the SecuPress Free — WordPress Security plugin, affecting all versions up to and including 2.3.9. The root cause is a missing authorization check in the function 'secupress_reinstall_plugins_admin_ajax_cb'. This function is intended to handle plugin reinstallation via an AJAX callback. Due to the lack of proper capability verification, any authenticated user with Subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this flaw to install arbitrary plugins on the affected WordPress site. This bypasses the intended privilege model where only administrators or users with elevated permissions should be able to install or modify plugins. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and can be triggered remotely over the network. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based, requires low privileges (authenticated user), no user interaction, and impacts integrity by allowing unauthorized modification of the site’s plugin set. Confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), indicating a failure to enforce proper access control checks before performing sensitive operations. This flaw could allow attackers to escalate privileges indirectly by installing malicious plugins that could execute arbitrary code or further compromise the site.

For European organizations relying on WordPress websites secured by the SecuPress Free plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to website integrity and trustworthiness. Attackers with minimal access (Subscriber-level) could install malicious plugins that may lead to website defacement, data manipulation, or serve as a foothold for further network intrusion. This is particularly concerning for organizations handling sensitive customer data, e-commerce platforms, or public-facing government and institutional websites. The ability to install arbitrary plugins can lead to privilege escalation, data leakage, or persistent backdoors. Given WordPress's widespread use in Europe, especially among SMEs and public sector entities, exploitation could disrupt business operations, damage reputations, and cause regulatory compliance issues under GDPR if personal data is compromised. Although the vulnerability does not directly affect confidentiality or availability, the indirect consequences of unauthorized plugin installation can be severe, including potential malware distribution or ransomware deployment. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not preclude targeted attacks, especially from opportunistic or state-sponsored threat actors focusing on European digital infrastructure.

1. Immediate upgrade: Organizations should update the SecuPress Free plugin to the latest version once a patch is released. Since no patch links are currently available, monitoring the vendor’s official channels for updates is critical. 2. Restrict user roles: Limit Subscriber-level access strictly and audit user accounts to ensure no unnecessary accounts have elevated privileges. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules: Deploy WAF rules to detect and block suspicious AJAX requests targeting the 'secupress_reinstall_plugins_admin_ajax_cb' endpoint. 4. Monitor plugin installations: Enable logging and alerting for any plugin installation or reinstallation activities to detect unauthorized changes promptly. 5. Harden WordPress environment: Disable plugin installation capabilities for non-administrative roles via custom code or security plugins that enforce role-based restrictions. 6. Conduct regular security audits: Perform vulnerability scans and penetration tests focusing on privilege escalation and plugin management functionalities. 7. Backup and recovery: Maintain up-to-date backups of WordPress sites to enable rapid restoration in case of compromise. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on immediate risk reduction through access control tightening, proactive monitoring, and environment hardening specific to this vulnerability’s attack vector.