CVE-2025-9967 is a critical vulnerability classified under CWE-288 (Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel) affecting the Orion SMS OTP Verification plugin for WordPress, developed by gsayed786. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 1.1.7. The plugin is designed to enhance security by providing SMS-based one-time password (OTP) verification for user authentication. However, due to improper validation of user identity before allowing password updates, an unauthenticated attacker can exploit this weakness to change any user's password to an OTP if the attacker knows the victim's phone number. This bypasses the intended authentication mechanism, effectively enabling privilege escalation and account takeover. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, reflecting its critical nature with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The exploit does not require authentication or user interaction, making it highly exploitable remotely. While no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability poses a severe risk to WordPress sites using this plugin, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, steal sensitive data, or disrupt services. The lack of a patch at the time of disclosure necessitates immediate risk mitigation by disabling the plugin or applying custom access controls.

For European organizations, this vulnerability presents a significant risk of account takeover and privilege escalation on WordPress sites using the Orion SMS OTP Verification plugin. Compromised accounts could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, disruption of business operations, and potential lateral movement within networks if WordPress accounts are linked to broader enterprise systems. The confidentiality of user data is at high risk, as attackers can reset passwords without authentication. Integrity and availability are also impacted since attackers can lock out legitimate users or manipulate site content. Given WordPress's widespread use across Europe for corporate websites, e-commerce platforms, and internal portals, exploitation could result in reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and financial losses. The vulnerability's ease of exploitation and lack of required user interaction increase the likelihood of automated attacks targeting vulnerable installations.

European organizations should immediately audit their WordPress environments to identify installations of the Orion SMS OTP Verification plugin. Until a vendor patch is released, the safest mitigation is to disable or uninstall the plugin to prevent exploitation. Organizations should implement additional verification mechanisms for password changes, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) independent of the vulnerable plugin. Monitoring and logging of password reset attempts should be enhanced to detect suspicious activity, especially resets initiated without proper authentication. Network-level protections, such as web application firewalls (WAFs), can be configured to block or rate-limit requests targeting the vulnerable plugin endpoints. Organizations should also educate users about phishing risks related to phone number exposure and encourage the use of strong, unique passwords. Once a patch becomes available, prompt application is critical. Finally, organizations should review and tighten access controls around WordPress administrative accounts and consider isolating WordPress instances from critical internal networks.