CVE-2025-49440 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability identified in the WordPress plugin WP Security Master developed by Vuong Nguyen. This vulnerability affects versions up to 1.0.2 of the plugin. CSRF vulnerabilities allow an attacker to trick an authenticated user into submitting unwanted actions on a web application in which they are currently authenticated. In this case, the WP Security Master plugin does not sufficiently validate the authenticity of requests, enabling an attacker to craft malicious web requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator or user with sufficient privileges, can alter security settings or perform other unauthorized actions within the WordPress environment. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N) shows that the attack can be performed remotely over the network without privileges but requires user interaction (the victim must be tricked into clicking a malicious link). The impact is limited to integrity, with no confidentiality or availability impact. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-352, which is a common web application security weakness related to CSRF attacks. Given the plugin’s role in managing WordPress security settings, successful exploitation could allow attackers to weaken site defenses or alter configurations, potentially facilitating further attacks or unauthorized access.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the WP Security Master plugin, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk. Since the plugin is designed to enhance security, exploitation could undermine the security posture of affected websites by allowing unauthorized changes to security configurations. This could lead to increased exposure to other attacks such as privilege escalation, data tampering, or unauthorized access. Organizations relying on WordPress for critical services or customer-facing portals may face reputational damage, compliance issues (especially under GDPR if personal data is indirectly affected), and operational disruptions. The requirement for user interaction limits the attack vector to social engineering tactics, but targeted phishing campaigns could be effective. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the medium severity score and the plugin’s security role warrant prompt attention. The impact is primarily on data integrity within the WordPress environment, with no direct confidentiality or availability compromise indicated.

European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Immediately audit all WordPress installations to identify the presence of the WP Security Master plugin and its version. 2) If the plugin is installed, restrict administrative access to trusted users and enforce multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of successful CSRF exploitation. 3) Monitor for suspicious activity related to security settings changes within WordPress logs. 4) Until an official patch is released, consider temporarily disabling the WP Security Master plugin or replacing it with alternative security plugins that are actively maintained and free from known CSRF vulnerabilities. 5) Educate users, especially administrators, about the risks of phishing and social engineering attacks that could trigger CSRF exploits. 6) Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers and SameSite cookie attributes to help mitigate CSRF risks at the browser level. 7) Stay updated with vendor announcements and apply patches promptly once available.