CVE-2025-8565 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the WP Legal Pages WordPress plugin, specifically the Privacy Policy Generator and Terms & Conditions Generator functionality. The root cause is a missing authorization check (CWE-862) in the function wplp_gdpr_install_plugin_ajax_handler(), which handles AJAX requests related to plugin installation. This flaw allows any authenticated user with Contributor-level privileges or higher to bypass intended capability restrictions and install arbitrary plugins from the WordPress repository. Since Contributors normally have limited permissions and cannot install plugins, this vulnerability effectively escalates their privileges, enabling them to execute arbitrary code or introduce malicious plugins. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 3.4.3 of the plugin. The CVSS v3.1 score is 8.1 (high), reflecting the network attack vector, low attack complexity, required privileges at the Contributor level, no user interaction needed, and significant impact on integrity and availability. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no official patches have been released yet. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on September 18, 2025. Given the widespread use of WordPress and the popularity of WP Legal Pages for legal compliance content, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites relying on this plugin, especially those with multiple contributors or editors who have Contributor or higher roles.

For European organizations, this vulnerability can have severe consequences. Many businesses, government agencies, and NGOs in Europe use WordPress for their websites, often employing plugins like WP Legal Pages to ensure compliance with GDPR and other legal requirements. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could install malicious plugins that compromise website integrity, deface sites, steal sensitive data, or create backdoors for persistent access. This can lead to reputational damage, legal liabilities under GDPR for data breaches, and operational disruptions. Since the attack requires only Contributor-level access, insider threats or compromised contributor accounts pose a significant risk. The ability to install arbitrary plugins also opens the door to further privilege escalation and lateral movement within the hosting environment. The impact extends beyond the website itself, potentially affecting customer trust and regulatory compliance, which are critical concerns for European organizations operating under strict data protection laws.

Immediate mitigation steps include restricting Contributor-level user accounts and auditing existing users for unnecessary privileges. Organizations should monitor for unusual plugin installations or changes in the WordPress environment. Until an official patch is released, consider temporarily disabling or removing the WP Legal Pages plugin if feasible. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious AJAX requests targeting the vulnerable function. Implement strict access controls and multi-factor authentication for all WordPress user accounts, especially those with elevated privileges. Regularly back up website data and configurations to enable quick recovery if compromise occurs. Additionally, monitor security advisories from the plugin vendor and WordPress community for patches or updates addressing this vulnerability. Once a patch is available, apply it promptly. For organizations with managed WordPress hosting, coordinate with providers to ensure timely remediation.