CVE-2025-12747: Exposing Private Files – A Security Risk in the Tainacan WordPress Plugin

Overview

CVE-2025-12747 is a medium-severity security vulnerability affecting the Tainacan plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to access files marked as private that are stored within the wp-content directory due to inadequate protection. Versions of the Tainacan plugin up to and including 1.0.0 are affected.

Technical Details

The vulnerability arises from how the Tainacan plugin handles access control for uploaded files designated as “private.” Instead of properly restricting access through WordPress’s built-in mechanisms or custom access control, the files are placed in the wp-content directory without sufficient security measures. As a result, an attacker can directly access these files by knowing (or guessing) their URLs, bypassing the intended privacy settings.

CVSS Analysis

• CVSS Score: 5.3 (Medium)
• CVSS Vector: (This information is not provided in the prompt, please calculate based on the vulnerability details if you have the CVSS calculator)

Possible Impact

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to the following:

• Information Exposure: Sensitive data stored in “private” files (e.g., user documents, internal reports, or confidential images) can be accessed by unauthorized individuals.
• Data Breach: The exposed information could potentially lead to a larger data breach, depending on the nature of the exposed files.
• Reputation Damage: If sensitive information is leaked, it can damage the reputation of the website owner or organization using the Tainacan plugin.

Mitigation and Patch Steps

To mitigate this vulnerability, users of the Tainacan plugin are strongly advised to upgrade to version 1.0.1 or later. This version contains a fix that properly restricts access to private files.

1. Update the Plugin: Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to the “Plugins” section. Update the Tainacan plugin to the latest available version (1.0.1 or higher).
2. Verify File Permissions (If Necessary): After updating, it’s a good practice to verify that the file permissions on your server are correctly configured to prevent unauthorized access to the wp-content directory. Consult your hosting provider’s documentation for instructions on how to manage file permissions.

References

• Tainacan Private Files Class (GitHub)
• Tainacan Version 1.0.1 Changes (GitHub)
• Wordfence Threat Intelligence Report