CVE-2025-64261 identifies a Missing Authorization vulnerability in the codepeople Appointment Booking Calendar plugin, affecting versions up to 1.3.95. The root cause is an incorrectly configured access control mechanism that fails to properly restrict unauthorized users from accessing certain appointment booking functionalities or data. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). Successful exploitation could allow attackers to view or manipulate appointment information, leading to confidentiality and integrity breaches. Although availability is not impacted, unauthorized data access could result in privacy violations, reputational damage, and potential regulatory non-compliance, especially under GDPR in Europe. No patches or exploits are currently documented, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be treated as a significant risk. The plugin is commonly used in WordPress environments for scheduling appointments, making it a target for attackers seeking to exploit web-facing applications with weak access controls. The vulnerability highlights the importance of correctly implementing authorization checks in web applications handling sensitive user data.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-64261 is the potential unauthorized disclosure and modification of appointment data, which may include personal identifiable information (PII) of clients or patients. This can lead to violations of GDPR and other privacy regulations, resulting in legal penalties and loss of customer trust. Sectors such as healthcare providers, educational institutions, and professional services that rely on appointment scheduling are particularly vulnerable. The breach of confidentiality could facilitate further targeted attacks, social engineering, or fraud. Although the vulnerability does not affect system availability, the integrity compromise could disrupt business operations by corrupting appointment records. The ease of exploitation without authentication increases the risk of widespread attacks, especially if the plugin is publicly accessible on the internet. Organizations may also face reputational damage and financial losses due to remediation costs and potential regulatory fines.

1. Monitor the vendor’s official channels for patches addressing CVE-2025-64261 and apply updates immediately upon release. 2. Until a patch is available, restrict access to the Appointment Booking Calendar plugin’s administrative and sensitive endpoints using web application firewalls (WAFs) or IP whitelisting. 3. Implement strict role-based access controls (RBAC) within WordPress to limit who can view or modify appointment data. 4. Conduct thorough access control audits on the plugin’s configuration to identify and close any unauthorized access paths. 5. Enable detailed logging and monitoring of all access to the booking calendar to detect suspicious activity early. 6. Consider temporarily disabling the plugin if it is not critical or if adequate access controls cannot be enforced. 7. Educate staff about the risks of unauthorized data exposure and ensure compliance with data protection policies. 8. Use network segmentation to isolate systems running vulnerable plugins from critical infrastructure. 9. Regularly back up appointment data securely to enable recovery in case of data integrity issues.