CVE-2025-55716 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) found in the VeronaLabs WP Statistics plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability arises from incorrectly configured access control security levels, allowing users with limited privileges (requiring at least some level of authentication) to perform actions or access data beyond their authorization scope. The affected product is WP Statistics, a popular WordPress plugin used for website traffic analytics, with versions up to 14.15 impacted. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require some level of privileges (PR:L), indicating that an attacker must have an authenticated account with limited rights on the WordPress site. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N, meaning the attack can be performed remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires privileges but no user interaction, and impacts integrity but not confidentiality or availability. The flaw allows an attacker to bypass authorization checks, potentially modifying or injecting inaccurate statistics data or altering plugin settings, which could mislead site administrators or disrupt analytics-based decisions. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation may rely on vendor updates or manual access control reviews. Given the nature of the vulnerability, it primarily threatens the integrity of analytics data rather than confidentiality or availability, but could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain targeting WordPress sites.

For European organizations, especially those relying on WordPress for their web presence and using WP Statistics for analytics, this vulnerability could undermine the trustworthiness of their website traffic data. This can affect marketing decisions, security monitoring, and operational insights derived from analytics. While the vulnerability does not directly expose sensitive data or cause service disruption, manipulation of statistics can lead to misinformed business strategies or mask other malicious activities. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, media, and public services that depend on accurate web analytics may face indirect operational risks. Additionally, if attackers combine this vulnerability with other WordPress or plugin flaws, it could escalate into more severe compromises. The requirement for authenticated access limits exposure to internal or registered users, but insider threats or compromised accounts could exploit this flaw. European GDPR regulations emphasize data integrity and security; manipulation of analytics data could complicate compliance audits or reporting accuracy.

European organizations should immediately audit user roles and permissions on WordPress sites using WP Statistics to ensure minimal necessary privileges are granted. Restrict plugin management and analytics access to trusted administrators only. Monitor plugin updates from VeronaLabs closely and apply patches as soon as they become available. In the absence of official patches, consider temporarily disabling or restricting access to WP Statistics features that require authorization checks until a fix is deployed. Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting WP Statistics endpoints. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on WordPress plugins and access control mechanisms. Educate administrators about the risks of privilege escalation and the importance of strong authentication controls. Maintain comprehensive logging of user actions within WordPress to detect unauthorized attempts to manipulate analytics data. Finally, consider alternative analytics solutions with stronger security postures if timely patching is not feasible.