CVE-2025-5142 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the Simple Page Access Restriction plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.0.31. The vulnerability arises due to missing nonce validation and capability checks in the settings save handler within the settings.php script. Nonce validation is a critical security measure in WordPress plugins to ensure that requests to change settings originate from legitimate users and not from forged requests. The absence of this validation allows an unauthenticated attacker to craft malicious requests that, if executed by an authenticated site administrator (via social engineering such as clicking a link), can manipulate the plugin's settings without authorization. Specifically, attackers can enable or disable access protection on all post types or taxonomies, override meta-box settings to force all new pages or posts to be public or private, silently wipe all plugin data upon plugin removal, or conduct URL redirection attacks. These actions compromise the integrity of content access controls and can lead to unauthorized content exposure or denial of intended restrictions. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium severity), reflecting the vulnerability's network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction (an administrator clicking a malicious link). There are no known exploits in the wild yet, and no patches have been published at the time of this report. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which is a common web application security weakness related to CSRF attacks.

For European organizations using WordPress websites with the Simple Page Access Restriction plugin, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of web content. Attackers can manipulate access restrictions, potentially exposing sensitive or private content to unauthorized users or making all content publicly accessible. This can lead to data leaks, reputational damage, and loss of user trust. The ability to silently wipe plugin data upon removal could disrupt website functionality and complicate recovery efforts. URL redirection attacks may facilitate phishing or malware distribution, further endangering users and the organization's security posture. Since WordPress powers a substantial portion of European websites, including those of small and medium enterprises, governmental bodies, and NGOs, the impact can be widespread. The requirement for user interaction (administrator action) means social engineering campaigns targeting site administrators could be effective, increasing the risk. Additionally, compromised access controls may violate GDPR requirements regarding data protection and privacy, exposing organizations to regulatory penalties.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the Simple Page Access Restriction plugin and its version. Until an official patch is released, administrators should consider disabling or uninstalling the plugin to eliminate the attack surface. If the plugin is essential, restrict administrative access to trusted personnel and implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of compromised credentials. Educate administrators about the risks of clicking unsolicited links and implement email filtering to reduce phishing attempts. Additionally, implement Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious POST requests targeting the plugin's settings endpoint. Monitoring and logging administrative actions can help detect unauthorized changes early. Once a patch is available, prioritize prompt application. Finally, review and tighten WordPress user roles and capabilities to minimize unnecessary privileges that could be exploited.