CVE-2025-49324 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) found in the PickPlugins Job Board Manager plugin, affecting versions up to 2.1.60. This vulnerability arises due to improperly configured access control mechanisms, allowing unauthorized users to perform actions or access resources that should be restricted. Specifically, the flaw is in the authorization checks that fail to verify whether a user has the necessary permissions before executing certain operations within the Job Board Manager plugin. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N), making it relatively easy to exploit. However, the impact is limited to integrity (I:L) with no confidentiality (C:N) or availability (A:N) impact, indicating that attackers can potentially modify data or perform unauthorized changes but cannot access sensitive information or disrupt service availability. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3, categorizing it as a medium severity vulnerability. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been released yet. The vulnerability affects the Job Board Manager plugin, commonly used in WordPress environments to manage job listings and applications, which is widely deployed by recruitment agencies, HR departments, and job portals.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to those using the PickPlugins Job Board Manager plugin on their WordPress sites. Exploitation could allow attackers to alter job listings, manipulate application data, or perform unauthorized administrative actions within the job board system. This could lead to misinformation, reputational damage, and potential disruption of recruitment processes. While the vulnerability does not directly expose confidential data or cause service outages, unauthorized data modification can undermine trust and operational integrity. Organizations in sectors with high recruitment activity, such as staffing agencies, large enterprises with dedicated HR portals, and public employment services, may face increased risk. Additionally, regulatory frameworks like GDPR require organizations to maintain data integrity and security, so exploitation could lead to compliance issues if unauthorized changes affect personal data or operational transparency.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the PickPlugins Job Board Manager plugin and verify the version in use. Until an official patch is released, administrators should consider disabling or uninstalling the plugin if it is not essential. For environments where the plugin is critical, implementing strict network-level access controls to restrict access to the job board management interfaces can reduce exposure. Additionally, applying Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the plugin’s endpoints can provide a temporary protective layer. Monitoring logs for unusual activity related to job board management functions is also recommended to detect potential exploitation attempts early. Organizations should subscribe to vendor advisories and Patchstack updates to apply security patches promptly once available. Finally, reviewing and tightening user roles and permissions within WordPress to ensure minimal privilege principles are enforced can help mitigate the risk of unauthorized actions.