CVE-2026-22398 identifies an authorization bypass vulnerability in the Mikado-Themes Fleur WordPress theme, affecting versions up to 2.0. The root cause is an incorrectly configured access control mechanism that relies on a user-controlled key, which attackers can manipulate to bypass intended security restrictions. This vulnerability allows an authenticated user with limited privileges (PR:L) to escalate their access rights without requiring any user interaction (UI:N). The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), meaning exploitation can be performed remotely. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity of the affected system by enabling unauthorized access to restricted resources or functionality, but it does not impact availability. The CVSS score of 5.4 reflects a medium severity, balancing the ease of exploitation with the limited scope of privilege required and the moderate impact. No patches or official fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been observed in the wild. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for websites using the Fleur theme, which is a commercial WordPress theme by Mikado-Themes, often used by businesses and organizations for their web presence. The flaw stems from the theme's failure to properly validate or restrict access based on user roles or keys, allowing attackers to bypass authorization controls by supplying crafted input.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized access to sensitive website functionality or data managed through the Fleur theme. Attackers could exploit this flaw to access administrative or restricted areas, potentially leading to data leakage, unauthorized content modification, or further compromise of the web server environment. Given the widespread use of WordPress in Europe, organizations relying on Mikado-Themes Fleur for their websites could face reputational damage, regulatory compliance issues (especially under GDPR if personal data is exposed), and operational disruptions. The impact is heightened for sectors with stringent data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government. Although the vulnerability does not directly affect availability, the integrity and confidentiality breaches could facilitate subsequent attacks or data exfiltration. The requirement for some level of authentication limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with weak credential management or where user accounts are shared or compromised.

European organizations using the Fleur theme should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify affected versions (<= 2.0). Since no official patches are currently linked, administrators should implement compensating controls such as restricting access to the WordPress admin area via IP whitelisting or VPN, enforcing strong authentication mechanisms including multi-factor authentication, and reviewing user roles and permissions to minimize privilege exposure. Monitoring web server and application logs for unusual access patterns or attempts to manipulate user-controlled keys is critical. Organizations should also consider temporarily disabling or replacing the Fleur theme with a more secure alternative until a vendor patch is released. Regular backups and a tested incident response plan will help mitigate potential damage if exploitation occurs. Engaging with Mikado-Themes support for updates or patches and subscribing to vulnerability advisories is recommended to stay informed of remediation progress.