CVE-2025-69032 is an authorization bypass vulnerability identified in Mikado-Themes FiveStar, a WordPress theme widely used for building websites. The flaw stems from improperly configured access control security levels, specifically involving a user-controlled key that can be manipulated to bypass authorization checks. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.7. An attacker with some level of privileges (PR:L - low privileges) can exploit this vulnerability remotely (AV:N) without requiring user interaction (UI:N). The attack complexity is low (AC:L), meaning exploitation does not require specialized conditions. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity by allowing unauthorized access or modification of data, but it does not affect system availability. The CVSS score of 5.4 reflects a medium severity level. No patches or known exploits are currently reported, indicating that the vulnerability is newly disclosed and not yet widely exploited. The root cause is a misconfiguration in access control mechanisms, allowing attackers to supply a crafted key that bypasses intended authorization checks. This can lead to unauthorized data access or privilege escalation within the affected WordPress sites using the FiveStar theme. Given the nature of WordPress themes and their integration with websites, exploitation could compromise sensitive user data or site content integrity.

For European organizations, especially those relying on WordPress websites using the Mikado-Themes FiveStar theme, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized access and data manipulation. The impact includes potential exposure of confidential customer information, unauthorized content changes, and possible reputational damage. E-commerce sites and service providers using this theme may face data integrity issues, leading to loss of customer trust and regulatory non-compliance under GDPR. Since the vulnerability requires some level of privileges, insider threats or compromised low-privilege accounts could be leveraged to exploit it. The lack of availability impact reduces the risk of denial-of-service, but confidentiality and integrity breaches remain significant concerns. Organizations with high web presence and sensitive data hosted on affected themes are at elevated risk. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation before widespread attacks occur.

1. Monitor Mikado-Themes official channels for security patches addressing CVE-2025-69032 and apply updates immediately upon release. 2. Conduct a thorough audit of access control configurations within WordPress installations using the FiveStar theme to identify and correct misconfigurations. 3. Limit user privileges strictly to the minimum necessary, reducing the risk that low-privilege accounts can exploit this vulnerability. 4. Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests involving user-controlled keys or unusual authorization attempts. 5. Regularly review logs for anomalous access patterns or privilege escalations related to the theme’s authorization mechanisms. 6. Educate site administrators on secure configuration practices and the risks of improper access control settings. 7. Consider isolating critical web assets or sensitive data behind additional authentication layers or network segmentation to reduce exposure. 8. Employ security plugins that enhance WordPress authorization and monitor for unauthorized changes.