CVE-2025-54717 is a medium-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) affecting the e-plugins WP Membership WordPress plugin up to version 1.6.3. This vulnerability arises from improperly configured access control mechanisms within the plugin, allowing users with limited privileges (PR:L - Privileges Required: Low) to perform unauthorized actions that should be restricted. The vulnerability does not require user interaction (UI:N) and can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N). The impact primarily affects the integrity and availability of the system, as unauthorized modifications or disruptions can be made, although confidentiality is not directly impacted (C:N, I:L, A:L). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.4, indicating a medium severity level. The vulnerability is currently published with no known exploits in the wild and no patches publicly available at the time of reporting. The root cause is the missing or incorrect enforcement of authorization checks, which can allow attackers with low-level privileges to escalate their capabilities or disrupt membership management functions within the WordPress site. Given the plugin’s role in managing memberships, unauthorized changes could lead to membership data corruption, denial of service to legitimate users, or manipulation of membership statuses.

For European organizations using the WP Membership plugin, this vulnerability poses a risk to the integrity and availability of membership-related data and services. Organizations relying on this plugin for managing user access, subscriptions, or gated content could face unauthorized modifications to membership records or service disruptions. This could lead to operational downtime, loss of trust from members or customers, and potential compliance issues under regulations such as GDPR if membership data integrity is compromised. Although confidentiality is not directly impacted, the disruption or manipulation of membership services can indirectly affect business continuity and user experience. Organizations in sectors like education, membership-based services, clubs, and associations that use WordPress with this plugin are particularly at risk. The lack of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation before active exploitation occurs.

1. Immediate review and audit of access control configurations within the WP Membership plugin to ensure proper authorization checks are enforced. 2. Restrict plugin usage to trusted administrators and limit the number of users with low-level privileges who can interact with membership functions. 3. Monitor logs for unusual activities related to membership management, such as unauthorized changes or access attempts. 4. Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting membership endpoints. 5. Stay updated with vendor advisories and apply patches promptly once available. 6. Consider temporary disabling or replacing the WP Membership plugin with alternative solutions if critical membership functions are at risk and no patch is available. 7. Conduct penetration testing focused on authorization controls in the membership management workflows to identify any overlooked weaknesses. 8. Educate administrators and users about the risks of privilege misuse and enforce strong role-based access controls within the WordPress environment.