CVE-2025-8446 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) affecting the Blaze Demo Importer plugin for WordPress, developed by blazethemes. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 1.0.12. It arises due to a missing capability check in the 'blaze_demo_importer_install_plugin' function, which allows authenticated users with Subscriber-level access or higher to install and activate a limited set of specific plugins without proper authorization. Exploitation requires that the News Kit Elementor Addons plugin and a BlazeThemes theme are both installed and activated on the target WordPress site. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, indicating a medium severity level, with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), privileges required (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality impact (C:N), limited integrity impact (I:L), and no availability impact (A:N). Although the impact on confidentiality and availability is null, the integrity of the affected WordPress site is compromised as unauthorized plugin installation can lead to further malicious activity or privilege escalation. No known exploits are currently observed in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because Subscriber-level users are typically considered low-privilege, and this flaw allows them to perform actions normally reserved for administrators, potentially undermining the security model of WordPress sites using the affected plugin and themes.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the Blaze Demo Importer plugin and the required dependencies (News Kit Elementor Addons plugin and BlazeThemes themes), this vulnerability poses a moderate risk. Unauthorized plugin installation can lead to the introduction of malicious code, backdoors, or further privilege escalation, potentially compromising website integrity and trustworthiness. This can result in defacement, data manipulation, or use of the site as a launchpad for further attacks such as phishing or malware distribution. Given the widespread use of WordPress across European businesses, including SMEs and larger enterprises, the vulnerability could affect sectors reliant on web presence for customer engagement, e-commerce, or internal communications. The medium CVSS score reflects limited impact on confidentiality and availability but highlights the risk to integrity. The absence of known exploits in the wild suggests a window for proactive mitigation. However, the ease of exploitation by low-privilege authenticated users means that insider threats or compromised subscriber accounts could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. Organizations in Europe must consider the reputational and operational risks associated with compromised websites, especially in regulated industries where website integrity is critical.

European organizations should take immediate steps to mitigate this vulnerability beyond generic patching advice. First, conduct an inventory to identify WordPress sites using the Blaze Demo Importer plugin and verify if the News Kit Elementor Addons plugin and BlazeThemes themes are installed and active, as these are prerequisites for exploitation. Restrict Subscriber-level user registrations and review user roles to minimize the number of accounts with such access. Implement strict access controls and monitor for unusual plugin installation activities. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block unauthorized plugin installation attempts targeting the vulnerable function. Since no official patch is currently linked, consider temporarily disabling or removing the Blaze Demo Importer plugin if feasible. Additionally, enhance logging and alerting on WordPress administrative actions to detect potential exploitation attempts early. Educate site administrators about the risk and encourage regular backups to enable quick recovery if compromise occurs. Finally, keep abreast of updates from blazethemes and WordPress security advisories for official patches or mitigations.