CVE-2025-5282 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the WP Travel Engine – Tour Booking Plugin, a WordPress plugin widely used for tour operator software and booking management. The vulnerability arises from a missing authorization check in the delete_package() function across all versions up to and including 6.5.1. Specifically, the plugin fails to verify whether the user has the necessary capabilities to delete tour packages, allowing unauthenticated attackers to invoke this function remotely. This lack of access control means that an attacker can delete arbitrary posts representing tour packages without any authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), indicating a failure to enforce proper permission checks before performing sensitive operations. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.5 (high), with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N, meaning the attack can be launched remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges or user interaction, and results in a high impact on integrity (data modification) but no impact on confidentiality or availability. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, the ease of exploitation and the critical nature of the affected function make this a significant threat. The plugin is commonly deployed on WordPress sites operated by tour operators, travel agencies, and related businesses to manage tour packages and bookings, making the integrity of their data crucial for business operations and customer trust. The vulnerability could be exploited to maliciously delete tour package data, disrupting business operations and potentially causing financial and reputational damage.

For European organizations, especially those in the travel and tourism sector relying on WordPress and the WP Travel Engine plugin, this vulnerability poses a serious risk. Unauthorized deletion of tour packages can lead to loss of critical business data, disruption of booking processes, and customer dissatisfaction. This can result in direct financial losses due to canceled or lost bookings and indirect losses through reputational damage. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, it can be exploited by remote attackers at scale, increasing the risk of widespread disruption. Additionally, deletion of posts could be used as a vector for further attacks, such as social engineering or phishing, by manipulating the content visible to customers. The integrity of the booking data is paramount for compliance with consumer protection regulations prevalent in Europe, and data loss could lead to regulatory scrutiny. Organizations with limited cybersecurity resources or those slow to apply updates are particularly vulnerable. Given the plugin's popularity in the European travel market, the impact could be significant across SMEs and larger enterprises alike.

Immediate mitigation steps include updating the WP Travel Engine plugin to a patched version once released by the vendor. Until a patch is available, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Restrict access to the WordPress REST API endpoints related to the plugin using web application firewall (WAF) rules or server-level access controls to block unauthenticated requests targeting delete_package() functionality. 2) Employ WordPress security plugins that can monitor and restrict unauthorized post deletions or suspicious API calls. 3) Regularly back up WordPress site data, including posts and plugin data, to enable rapid restoration in case of data deletion. 4) Conduct an audit of user roles and capabilities to ensure no excessive permissions are granted that could be abused. 5) Monitor server and application logs for unusual deletion activities or unauthorized API calls. 6) Consider temporarily disabling or restricting the plugin’s delete functionality via custom code or hooks if feasible. 7) Educate site administrators about the vulnerability and encourage prompt patching and monitoring. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control at the API level, proactive monitoring, and data recovery preparedness specific to this vulnerability’s exploitation vector.