CVE-2025-22694: Hide Shipping Method Authorization Bypass

CVE-2025-22694 is a missing authorization vulnerability in Dotstore Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce plugin affecting versions up to 1.5.1. This flaw allows unauthorized access to restricted functions. This article covers technical details, affected versions, security impact, and recommended mitigation strategies.

CVE-2025-22694 Overview

CVE-2025-22694 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] affecting the Dotstore Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce plugin for WordPress. The flaw impacts all plugin versions up to and including 1.5.1. An authenticated attacker with low-level privileges can invoke plugin functions that lack proper authorization checks, resulting in unauthorized modification of shipping method visibility rules. The vulnerability affects the integrity of WooCommerce checkout configuration on affected sites.

Critical Impact
Authenticated users with low privileges can bypass access controls to alter shipping method configuration in WooCommerce stores running the vulnerable plugin.

Affected Products

Dotstore Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce plugin versions through 1.5.1
WordPress sites running WooCommerce with the affected plugin installed
E-commerce environments relying on shipping method visibility rules from this plugin

Discovery Timeline

2025-02-03 - CVE-2025-22694 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-22694

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks in the Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce plugin. The plugin exposes functionality that modifies shipping method visibility rules without verifying that the requesting user holds sufficient WordPress capabilities. This maps to CWE-862: Missing Authorization.

An attacker authenticated as a low-privileged user, such as a subscriber or customer, can send crafted requests to plugin endpoints. Because those endpoints skip capability checks, the server processes the request and applies configuration changes. The result is a broken access control condition affecting integrity of the store's shipping logic.

Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.

Root Cause

The plugin's action handlers do not enforce a current_user_can() capability check or a nonce validation appropriate to administrative operations. Without these guards, WordPress routes requests from any authenticated session to privileged handlers.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access to the target WordPress site and a valid authenticated session. The attacker submits an HTTP request to a plugin AJAX or admin-post endpoint that alters shipping method visibility settings. No user interaction from an administrator is required.

// No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available.
// See the Patchstack advisory for further technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-22694

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to WooCommerce shipping method visibility rules or plugin option values in wp_options
Requests to plugin AJAX endpoints (admin-ajax.php) originating from non-administrative user sessions
Audit log entries showing configuration writes from subscriber or customer accounts

Detection Strategies

Monitor WordPress database changes to plugin-managed option rows for unauthorized modifications
Review web server access logs for POST requests to plugin endpoints from low-privileged user cookies
Compare active shipping rules against a known-good baseline configuration snapshot

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable a WordPress activity log plugin to track option and plugin setting changes with user attribution
Alert on privilege-inconsistent activity, such as customers triggering admin-scope actions
Forward WordPress and web server logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation across user sessions and configuration changes

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-22694

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all WordPress sites running Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce version 1.5.1 or earlier
Update the plugin to a version later than 1.5.1 that includes the authorization fix
Audit recent shipping method configuration changes and revert any unauthorized modifications
Review account activity for low-privileged users that interacted with plugin endpoints

Patch Information

Upgrade the Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce plugin to a release above version 1.5.1. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the fixed version reference and vendor patch notes.

Workarounds

Deactivate the plugin until an updated version can be installed and validated
Restrict access to admin-ajax.php for non-administrative roles using a web application firewall rule
Enforce least-privilege on WooCommerce customer accounts and disable open user registration where not required

bash

# Example: list installed version via WP-CLI to confirm exposure
wp plugin get hide-shipping-method-for-woocommerce --field=version

# Example: update the plugin to the latest patched release
wp plugin update hide-shipping-method-for-woocommerce