CVE-2025-62946 is a missing authorization vulnerability identified in Everest Backup, a backup plugin developed by everestthemes, affecting all versions up to and including 2.3.8. The flaw stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels, allowing an attacker with low privileges (PR:L) to bypass authorization checks and perform unauthorized actions. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network (AV:N) without requiring user interaction (UI:N), which increases its risk profile. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). This means an attacker can potentially access, modify, or delete backup data, which could lead to data breaches, loss of critical backup information, or disruption of recovery processes. The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges beyond low-level access, making it easier for attackers who have gained minimal access to escalate their capabilities. No patches or fixes have been published yet, and there are no known exploits in the wild, but the risk remains significant due to the critical nature of backup data and the ease of exploitation. The vulnerability affects organizations using Everest Backup, which is commonly deployed in WordPress environments for backup and recovery purposes. The lack of proper authorization checks indicates a fundamental security design flaw in the plugin's access control mechanisms.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-62946 can be severe. Backup data is critical for business continuity and disaster recovery; unauthorized access or manipulation can lead to data breaches, ransomware escalation, or permanent data loss. Organizations relying on Everest Backup for WordPress sites risk exposure of sensitive information contained in backups, including customer data and intellectual property. The compromise of backup integrity undermines trust in recovery processes and can cause prolonged downtime. Since the vulnerability requires only low privileges and no user interaction, attackers who have gained minimal access to a network or web server can exploit it remotely, increasing the threat surface. This is particularly concerning for sectors with strict data protection regulations such as GDPR in Europe, where data breaches can result in heavy fines and reputational damage. The absence of patches means organizations must rely on mitigations until a fix is released, increasing operational risk. The threat also extends to managed service providers hosting multiple client sites using Everest Backup, potentially amplifying the impact.

1. Immediately restrict network access to the Everest Backup plugin interfaces by implementing IP whitelisting or VPN-only access to reduce exposure. 2. Disable or uninstall Everest Backup on non-essential systems until a patch is available. 3. Monitor web server and application logs for unusual or unauthorized access attempts targeting backup endpoints. 4. Implement strict role-based access controls (RBAC) within WordPress to limit user privileges and reduce the risk of low-privilege accounts being exploited. 5. Isolate backup storage locations from the public-facing network to prevent direct remote exploitation. 6. Regularly audit installed plugins and their versions to identify vulnerable instances of Everest Backup. 7. Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing backup compromise scenarios. 8. Engage with everestthemes or trusted security vendors for early patch notifications and apply updates promptly once available. 9. Consider alternative backup solutions with verified security postures if immediate patching is not feasible. 10. Educate administrators about the risks of missing authorization vulnerabilities and the importance of minimizing plugin attack surfaces.