CVE-2025-49922 identifies a missing authorization vulnerability in the etruel WPeMatico RSS Feed Fetcher WordPress plugin, specifically affecting versions up to 2.8.3. The vulnerability arises from incorrectly configured access control mechanisms, allowing users with low privileges (PR:L) to invoke certain plugin functionalities without proper authorization. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requiring no user interaction (UI:N), and the scope remains unchanged (S:U). The vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or integrity but impacts availability (A:L), potentially enabling denial of service conditions or resource exhaustion by unauthorized triggering of feed fetching or related operations. The CVSS score of 4.3 reflects a medium severity level, indicating moderate risk. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patches have been published as of the vulnerability disclosure date. The plugin is commonly used to automate RSS feed aggregation in WordPress sites, which are widely deployed across various industries. The missing authorization flaw could be exploited by authenticated users with limited privileges, such as subscribers or contributors, to disrupt site availability or cause performance degradation. The lack of proper access control suggests a design oversight in the plugin’s security model, emphasizing the need for strict privilege checks on sensitive operations. Organizations relying on this plugin should be aware of the risk and monitor for suspicious activity related to feed fetching endpoints.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-49922 lies in potential availability disruptions of WordPress sites using the WPeMatico RSS Feed Fetcher plugin. This could manifest as denial of service or degraded site performance, affecting business continuity, user experience, and potentially leading to reputational damage. Industries relying heavily on content aggregation, such as media, publishing, and marketing, may experience operational interruptions. Although confidentiality and integrity are not directly affected, availability issues can indirectly impact service delivery and customer trust. The vulnerability requires low privilege authentication, meaning internal users or compromised accounts could exploit it, increasing insider threat risks. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe, particularly among small and medium enterprises, the vulnerability could have broad implications if left unmitigated. Additionally, the absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but organizations should not delay remediation efforts.

1. Immediately restrict access to the WPeMatico RSS Feed Fetcher plugin’s administrative and feed fetching endpoints by implementing IP whitelisting or VPN-only access where feasible. 2. Review and tighten WordPress user role permissions to ensure that only trusted users have access to plugin functionalities, minimizing the number of accounts with low-level privileges that could exploit this flaw. 3. Monitor web server and application logs for unusual or repeated requests to the plugin’s endpoints that could indicate exploitation attempts. 4. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block anomalous traffic patterns targeting the plugin. 5. Stay informed on vendor updates and apply patches promptly once released to address the missing authorization issue. 6. Consider disabling or uninstalling the plugin if it is not essential to reduce the attack surface. 7. Conduct internal security awareness training to alert administrators and users about the risks associated with plugin vulnerabilities and the importance of strong access controls.