CVE-2025-67572 identifies a missing authorization vulnerability in the PenciDesign PenNews WordPress theme affecting versions prior to 6.7.4. The core issue stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to perform unauthorized actions that impact the integrity of data managed by the theme. Specifically, the vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or availability but allows modification of content or settings without proper authorization checks. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3, reflecting network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality impact (C:N), low integrity impact (I:L), and no availability impact (A:N). No known exploits have been reported in the wild, indicating limited active exploitation at this time. The vulnerability affects the PenNews theme, a popular WordPress theme used for news, magazine, and blog websites, which is widely adopted globally including in Europe. The missing authorization flaw likely arises from insufficient validation of user permissions on certain theme functions or endpoints, enabling attackers to manipulate content or configurations remotely. This can lead to defacement, misinformation, or disruption of editorial workflows. The issue was published on December 9, 2025, by Patchstack and remains unpatched as of the publication date, with no direct patch links provided. Organizations relying on PenNews should prioritize patching once updates are available and review access control policies to prevent unauthorized modifications.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-67572 is the potential compromise of data integrity on websites using the PenNews theme. Attackers can alter published content, which may damage brand reputation, spread misinformation, or disrupt communication channels. Although confidentiality and availability are not directly affected, unauthorized content changes can lead to secondary impacts such as loss of customer trust or regulatory scrutiny, especially under GDPR if misinformation affects personal data processing or user trust. Media companies, news outlets, and corporate blogs in Europe using PenNews are particularly at risk. The ease of exploitation without authentication increases the threat level, as attackers do not need credentials or user interaction. However, the lack of known exploits in the wild suggests limited immediate risk but a need for proactive mitigation. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Monitor PenciDesign’s official channels for the release of PenNews version 6.7.4 or later that addresses this vulnerability and apply the update immediately upon availability. 2) Until a patch is available, restrict access to administrative and theme management interfaces using network-level controls such as IP whitelisting or VPN access to reduce exposure. 3) Conduct a thorough audit of user roles and permissions within WordPress to ensure the principle of least privilege is enforced, removing unnecessary administrative rights. 4) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting theme endpoints that could exploit missing authorization. 5) Regularly monitor website content and logs for unauthorized changes or access patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. 6) Educate site administrators about the risks of missing authorization vulnerabilities and the importance of timely patching and access control management. 7) Consider deploying integrity monitoring tools that alert on unexpected content modifications. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on compensating controls and proactive monitoring until the official patch is applied.