CVE-2025-69361 identifies a missing authorization vulnerability in the PublishPress Post Expirator WordPress plugin, specifically affecting versions up to 4.9.3. The vulnerability arises from incorrectly configured access control mechanisms that fail to verify whether a user has the necessary permissions before allowing actions related to post expiration management. This can enable an attacker, potentially even an unauthenticated user depending on site configuration, to manipulate post expiration settings such as deleting, modifying, or prematurely expiring posts. Since the plugin automates content lifecycle management by scheduling post expirations, unauthorized changes can disrupt content availability and integrity, leading to potential information loss or unauthorized content removal. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, and no public exploits are known, but the flaw's nature suggests a high risk. The vulnerability affects WordPress sites using the PublishPress Post Expirator plugin, a popular tool for managing post expirations. The issue was reserved at the end of 2025 and published in early 2026, indicating recent discovery. The absence of patch links suggests a fix may not yet be publicly available, emphasizing the need for interim mitigations. The vulnerability is categorized under missing authorization, a common and critical security weakness that can lead to privilege escalation or unauthorized actions within web applications.

For European organizations, especially those with active content publishing operations using WordPress and the PublishPress Post Expirator plugin, this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized modification or deletion of published content. This compromises content integrity and availability, potentially disrupting business communications, marketing campaigns, or regulatory compliance related to content retention. The unauthorized expiration or removal of posts could also damage brand reputation and user trust. Since WordPress powers a significant portion of websites in Europe, including government, media, and commercial sectors, the impact can be widespread. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could gain control over content lifecycle management without authentication, increasing the risk of targeted attacks or vandalism. The lack of known exploits currently limits immediate widespread impact, but the vulnerability's presence in a widely used plugin means the risk of future exploitation is significant. Organizations may face operational disruptions and increased incident response costs if exploited.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the use of the PublishPress Post Expirator plugin and verify the version in use. Until an official patch is released, restrict access to the plugin's administrative functions by limiting user roles and permissions strictly to trusted administrators. Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting post expiration endpoints. Monitor logs for unusual activity related to post expiration changes, including unexpected post deletions or modifications. Consider temporarily disabling the plugin if it is not critical to operations or if the risk outweighs the benefit. Stay informed about vendor updates and apply patches promptly once available. Additionally, conduct regular backups of website content to enable recovery in case of unauthorized changes. Employ security best practices such as multi-factor authentication for admin accounts and least privilege principles to reduce the attack surface.