CVE-2025-9979 is a security vulnerability identified in the Maspik – Ultimate Spam Protection plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting version 2.5.6 and earlier. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862, which refers to Missing Authorization. The root cause is the absence of proper capability checks in the function Maspik_spamlog_download_csv. This function allows exporting and downloading the spam log database, which records blocked submission attempts. Due to the missing authorization checks, any authenticated user with subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this flaw to export the spam log data. The spam log may contain sensitive information, including misclassified legitimate submissions that were incorrectly flagged as spam. This exposure can lead to unauthorized access to potentially sensitive user data. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.3, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based (remote), requires low attack complexity, and only requires privileges equivalent to a subscriber role (low privileges). No user interaction is needed, and the impact is limited to confidentiality loss, with no impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been published yet. The vulnerability is significant because WordPress is widely used, and plugins like Maspik are common for spam protection, making this an attractive target for attackers seeking to harvest sensitive data from spam logs without needing elevated privileges beyond subscriber access.

For European organizations using WordPress websites with the Maspik plugin, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized data disclosure. Attackers with subscriber-level accounts—often easy to obtain through registration or compromised credentials—can access spam logs that may contain sensitive user-submitted data, including personal information mistakenly flagged as spam. This could lead to privacy violations under GDPR, reputational damage, and potential regulatory fines. Organizations relying on Maspik for spam protection may inadvertently expose sensitive data, undermining trust and compliance efforts. Although the vulnerability does not allow modification or deletion of data, the confidentiality breach alone is significant, especially for sectors handling sensitive information such as healthcare, finance, or government services. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the ease of exploitation and the widespread use of WordPress in Europe make this a threat that requires prompt attention.

1. Immediate mitigation involves restricting subscriber-level users from accessing the spam log export functionality. This can be done by manually modifying the plugin code to add proper capability checks or disabling the export feature until a patch is available. 2. Monitor user roles and permissions carefully, ensuring that only trusted users have subscriber or higher access. 3. Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the spam log export endpoint. 4. Regularly audit and review spam logs for sensitive data exposure and remove or anonymize sensitive entries where possible. 5. Keep the WordPress core, plugins, and themes updated, and apply security patches promptly once the vendor releases a fix for this vulnerability. 6. Consider using alternative spam protection plugins with a strong security track record if immediate patching is not feasible. 7. Educate site administrators about the risks of granting unnecessary privileges and encourage strong password policies to reduce account compromise risk.