Overview
CVE-2025-12961 is a medium severity vulnerability affecting the Download Panel plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.3.3. This flaw allows authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access or higher to modify the plugin’s settings without proper authorization. Due to a missing capability check, malicious actors can manipulate display text, download links, button colors, and other visual customizations, potentially leading to phishing attacks or defacement of your website.
Technical Details
The vulnerability lies in the dlpn_save_settings() function, which is responsible for saving the Download Panel plugin’s settings. The issue arises because the wp_ajax_save_settings AJAX action, which triggers this function, lacks a capability check. This means that any authenticated user, even those with minimal privileges like a Subscriber, can send a request to this action and modify the settings.
The relevant code snippets highlighting the vulnerable function can be found at:
Without capability checks, the dlpn_save_settings() function processes the incoming data and updates the plugin options in the WordPress database, effectively granting unauthorized users control over the plugin’s configuration.
CVSS Analysis
The vulnerability has a CVSS v3 score of 4.3 (Medium). The CVSS vector is likely AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N.
- Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) – The vulnerability can be exploited over the network.
- Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) – No specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances exist.
- Privileges Required (PR): Low (L) – An attacker requires only basic user privileges (e.g., Subscriber).
- User Interaction (UI): None (N) – No user interaction is required.
- Scope (S): Unchanged (U) – The vulnerability’s impact is limited to the component itself.
- Confidentiality (C): None (N) – There is no impact to confidentiality.
- Integrity (I): Low (L) – Modification of settings is possible, potentially affecting displayed content or download links.
- Availability (A): None (N) – There is no impact to availability.
While the confidentiality and availability impacts are none, the potential for unauthorized modification of the plugin’s settings raises serious security concerns.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could have several negative consequences:
- Website Defacement: An attacker could modify the plugin’s display text to inject malicious content or deface the website.
- Phishing Attacks: By modifying the download links, attackers can redirect users to phishing sites to steal credentials or install malware.
- SEO Poisoning: Manipulating the plugin’s settings could be used to inject hidden links for SEO spam.
- Loss of Trust: If the website’s appearance is compromised, it can damage the website’s reputation and erode user trust.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
The primary mitigation step is to update the Download Panel plugin to the latest version as soon as a patched version is released. Contact the plugin developer for patch information.
In the meantime, consider these temporary workarounds (use with caution and at your own risk):
- Disable the Plugin: If possible, temporarily disable the Download Panel plugin until a patch is available.
- Limit User Access: Restrict Subscriber-level access to your WordPress site if possible.
Monitor your WordPress site activity logs for any suspicious activity related to the Download Panel plugin settings.
