CVE-2026-22488 is a missing authorization vulnerability classified under CWE-862, found in the IdeaBox Creations Dashboard Welcome plugin for Beaver Builder, a popular WordPress page builder plugin. This vulnerability arises due to improperly configured access control mechanisms that fail to verify whether a user has the necessary permissions before allowing access to certain dashboard functions. Specifically, the plugin versions up to 1.0.8 do not enforce authorization checks correctly, enabling any remote attacker to access and potentially manipulate dashboard features without authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network with low complexity, meaning an attacker can exploit it remotely without needing credentials or tricking users. The impact is primarily on integrity, allowing unauthorized changes to dashboard data or settings, but it does not affect confidentiality or availability. No known public exploits have been reported yet, and no patches have been officially released at the time of publication. The vulnerability was published on January 8, 2026, with a CVSS v3.1 score of 5.3, indicating a medium severity level. The lack of authentication requirements and the network attack vector make this a notable risk for websites using this plugin, especially those with sensitive or critical content managed via Beaver Builder dashboards.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized modifications of website content or configurations managed through the Beaver Builder Dashboard Welcome plugin. This can undermine the integrity of web assets, potentially resulting in defacement, misinformation, or the insertion of malicious content if attackers manipulate dashboard settings. Although confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, integrity breaches can damage brand reputation, user trust, and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR if manipulated content leads to data misuse or misinformation. Organizations relying on Beaver Builder for website management, especially those in sectors like finance, healthcare, or government, could face operational disruptions or reputational harm. The absence of authentication requirements increases the risk of automated or opportunistic attacks, making timely mitigation critical. The medium severity rating suggests that while the threat is not critical, it should not be ignored, particularly in environments where dashboard integrity is crucial.

1. Immediately restrict access to the Dashboard Welcome plugin features by limiting user roles to trusted administrators only, using WordPress role management plugins or native capabilities. 2. Monitor web server and application logs for unusual access patterns or unauthorized attempts to access dashboard functions. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block suspicious requests targeting the plugin’s endpoints. 4. Disable or uninstall the Dashboard Welcome plugin if it is not essential to reduce the attack surface until a security patch is available. 5. Stay informed on vendor updates and apply official patches promptly once released. 6. Conduct regular security audits of WordPress installations and plugins to identify and remediate access control misconfigurations. 7. Educate site administrators on the risks of unauthorized access and enforce strong authentication mechanisms for backend access. 8. Consider isolating critical WordPress environments or using staging environments to test plugin updates before production deployment.