CVE-2025-66075 identifies a missing authorization vulnerability in the WP Cookie Notice for GDPR, CCPA & ePrivacy Consent plugin developed by WP Legal Pages. This plugin is widely used to manage cookie consent banners and ensure compliance with privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. The vulnerability arises from incorrectly configured access control mechanisms, allowing attackers with low privileges to perform unauthorized actions that should be restricted. Specifically, the flaw permits exploitation of security levels that fail to properly verify user authorization before granting access to sensitive functions or data. The affected versions include all releases up to and including 4.0.3. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring user interaction, but it does require some level of privileges (low privileges). The impact primarily affects confidentiality and integrity, as unauthorized users might access or modify cookie consent settings or related data, potentially undermining compliance and user privacy. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.2, reflecting medium severity due to the combination of network attack vector, high attack complexity, low privileges required, and no user interaction needed. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patches have been released at the time of publication, indicating the need for vigilance and prompt remediation once available. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for organizations operating in jurisdictions with stringent privacy laws, where cookie consent management is critical. The plugin’s widespread use in WordPress-based websites makes the attack surface significant, especially for European entities required to comply with GDPR and ePrivacy directives.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk to the confidentiality and integrity of cookie consent configurations and potentially related personal data. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized modification or disclosure of consent settings, undermining compliance with GDPR and ePrivacy regulations, which could result in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Since the plugin is commonly used across many WordPress sites in Europe to manage legal compliance notices, the scope of affected systems is considerable. Attackers exploiting this flaw could manipulate consent banners or settings, potentially exposing users to privacy violations or enabling further attacks through misconfigured consent mechanisms. Although availability is not impacted, the breach of trust and legal compliance implications are significant. Organizations may face increased scrutiny from data protection authorities if such vulnerabilities are exploited. The medium severity score suggests moderate risk, but the regulatory environment in Europe elevates the importance of timely mitigation.

Organizations should monitor WP Legal Pages announcements closely and apply security patches immediately once released to address CVE-2025-66075. Until patches are available, restrict access to the WordPress administrative interface to trusted personnel only and enforce strong authentication controls, such as multi-factor authentication, to reduce the risk of privilege escalation. Conduct thorough audits of user roles and permissions within WordPress to ensure that only necessary users have low-level privileges that could be exploited. Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the plugin’s endpoints. Regularly review and harden access control configurations related to cookie consent management plugins. Additionally, maintain comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect unusual activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Educate site administrators about the risks of missing authorization vulnerabilities and the importance of timely updates. Finally, consider alternative plugins with better security track records if immediate patching is not feasible.