Overview
A security vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-12086, has been discovered in the Return Refund and Exchange For WooCommerce plugin for WordPress. This plugin, used by many WooCommerce store owners to manage returns, refunds, and exchanges, contains an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) flaw that could allow attackers to delete other users’ refund requests. The affected plugin version is up to and including 4.5.5. This vulnerability poses a significant risk to the integrity of your store’s data and could lead to unauthorized modification of customer refund requests.
Technical Details
The vulnerability exists within the wps_rma_cancel_return_request AJAX endpoint. Due to a lack of proper validation on a user-controlled key, an authenticated attacker with Subscriber-level access (or higher) can manipulate the request to target and delete refund requests belonging to other users. The absence of authorization checks on the request being made allows an attacker to bypass intended restrictions.
CVSS Analysis
- CVE ID: CVE-2025-12086
- Severity: MEDIUM
- CVSS Score: 4.3
- Vector String (Example): CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N (This is an illustrative example. The actual vector string might vary slightly.)
A CVSS score of 4.3 indicates a Medium severity. While the vulnerability doesn’t directly compromise sensitive data, it allows for unauthorized modification of refund requests, leading to potential disruption of service and financial inconsistencies.
Possible Impact
The exploitation of this vulnerability can have the following consequences:
- Unauthorized Deletion of Refund Requests: Attackers can delete legitimate refund requests submitted by other users, leading to customer dissatisfaction and potential financial losses.
- Data Manipulation: This vulnerability could be exploited as part of a larger attack to manipulate data related to customer orders and refunds.
- Reputational Damage: Customers may lose trust in your store if they experience issues with their refunds due to this vulnerability.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
To protect your WooCommerce store from this vulnerability, it is crucial to take the following steps:
- Update the Plugin: Immediately update the “Return Refund and Exchange For WooCommerce” plugin to the latest version. Check the WordPress plugin repository or the plugin developer’s website for updates. Versions released after 4.5.5 should include a fix for this vulnerability.
- Monitor User Activity: Keep a close watch on user activity within your WooCommerce store, particularly actions related to refund requests.
- Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF): Consider using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to add an extra layer of security to your WordPress site. A WAF can help detect and block malicious requests that attempt to exploit this vulnerability.
References
- WordPress Plugin Changeset: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3394215%40woo-refund-and-exchange-lite&new=3394215%40woo-refund-and-exchange-lite&sfp_email=&sfph_mail=
- Wordfence Threat Intelligence: https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/126e2b92-322e-440c-a924-1b604330f164?source=cve
