CVE-2025-5983 is an open redirect vulnerability categorized under CWE-601 found in the Meta Tag Manager WordPress plugin prior to version 3.3. The root cause is the plugin's failure to restrict which user roles can create http-equiv refresh meta tags, which are HTML meta tags that instruct browsers to refresh or redirect after a specified time interval. Because any user with the ability to add or modify these meta tags can specify arbitrary URLs, an attacker with at least limited privileges (such as a contributor or editor role) can craft a malicious redirect to an untrusted external site. This can be leveraged to redirect site visitors to phishing or malware-hosting domains, potentially facilitating social engineering attacks or denial of service by disrupting user navigation. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5 (medium), reflecting network exploitability without user interaction, requiring privileges, and causing availability impact but no confidentiality or integrity loss. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is published and should be addressed proactively. The vulnerability affects all versions before 3.3 of the Meta Tag Manager plugin, which is used to manage meta tags on WordPress sites, a widely adopted content management system globally. The lack of role-based restrictions on meta tag creation is a design flaw that allows privilege escalation in terms of redirect control, even if the attacker cannot directly modify core site content or code.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can lead to user redirection to malicious or untrusted websites, potentially damaging brand reputation and user trust. While it does not directly compromise data confidentiality or integrity, the availability and reliability of web services can be impacted through forced redirects, causing user disruption and possible loss of traffic. Phishing campaigns could exploit this vulnerability to lure users into credential theft or malware infections. Organizations in sectors with high web traffic such as e-commerce, media, and government websites are particularly at risk. The impact is amplified in environments where multiple users have editing privileges without strict role enforcement. Additionally, regulatory compliance under GDPR may be affected if user data is indirectly compromised through redirected phishing attacks. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often weaponize such vulnerabilities rapidly after disclosure.

European organizations should immediately audit user roles and permissions within WordPress installations using the Meta Tag Manager plugin, ensuring only fully trusted users have the capability to add or modify http-equiv refresh meta tags. If possible, upgrade the Meta Tag Manager plugin to version 3.3 or later once available, as this version is expected to include proper role restrictions. In the interim, consider disabling or restricting the plugin’s meta tag editing features for lower-privileged users. Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect and block suspicious meta tag injections or unusual redirect patterns. Regularly monitor website content for unauthorized meta tag changes and conduct periodic security reviews of user privileges. Educate site administrators about the risks of open redirects and enforce strict change management processes. Additionally, employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict allowed redirect destinations and reduce the risk of malicious redirection. Finally, maintain up-to-date backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from any exploitation attempts.