CVE-2025-8147 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting the LWSCache plugin for WordPress, developed by aurelienlws. The vulnerability arises from improper authorization checks in the lwscache_activatePlugin() function present in all versions up to and including 2.8.5. Specifically, authenticated users with Subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this flaw to activate arbitrary whitelisted LWS plugins without proper permission. This improper authorization (CWE-285) allows attackers to modify plugin activation states, potentially enabling functionality that should be restricted to higher privilege users. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.3, reflecting a medium severity with no impact on confidentiality or availability but a limited impact on integrity due to unauthorized modification of plugin activation status. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability affects all versions of LWSCache up to 2.8.5, which is a caching plugin used to improve WordPress site performance by managing cache layers. Since WordPress is widely used across Europe for websites ranging from small businesses to large enterprises, this vulnerability could be leveraged by low-privilege authenticated users to escalate their capabilities within a site, potentially leading to further attacks such as privilege escalation or enabling malicious plugins if they are whitelisted. However, the impact is limited by the requirement for at least Subscriber-level access and the scope of affected plugins being restricted to those whitelisted by LWSCache.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to WordPress sites using the LWSCache plugin. Unauthorized activation of whitelisted plugins could lead to integrity issues, such as enabling plugins that introduce malicious code or backdoors, thereby compromising the website's security posture. This could affect e-commerce platforms, corporate websites, and public sector portals relying on WordPress, potentially leading to reputational damage, data integrity issues, or indirect data breaches if further exploitation occurs. The impact is somewhat mitigated by the need for authenticated access at Subscriber level or above, which means external unauthenticated attackers cannot exploit this directly. However, in environments where user account management is lax or where Subscriber accounts are easily obtained (e.g., open registration sites), the risk increases. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe, especially in countries with large SME sectors such as Germany, France, Italy, and the UK, the vulnerability could affect a significant number of sites. Public sector and critical infrastructure websites using WordPress with LWSCache may also be at risk, particularly in countries with high digital government adoption like Estonia and the Netherlands.

1. Immediate mitigation involves restricting Subscriber-level user capabilities to prevent unauthorized access to plugin activation functions. This can be done by hardening WordPress user roles and permissions, ensuring that only trusted users have Subscriber or higher access. 2. Monitor and audit user accounts regularly to detect and remove unauthorized or suspicious Subscriber accounts. 3. Disable or remove the LWSCache plugin if it is not essential, or replace it with alternative caching solutions that do not have this vulnerability. 4. Apply principle of least privilege for all WordPress users and consider implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce risk of account compromise. 5. Monitor plugin activation logs and WordPress audit trails for unusual plugin activation events that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Stay alert for official patches or updates from the aurelienlws project and apply them promptly once available. 7. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the lwscache_activatePlugin() function or related endpoints. 8. Educate site administrators about the risks of granting Subscriber-level access and encourage regular security reviews of user permissions.