CVE-2025-24583: 12-Step Meeting List Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2025-24583 Overview

CVE-2025-24583 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] affecting the AA Web Servant 12 Step Meeting List plugin for WordPress. The flaw exists in versions up to and including 3.16.5 and stems from incorrectly configured access control on plugin functionality. Authenticated or unauthenticated attackers can invoke actions that should require higher privileges, including modifying plugin settings. The vulnerability carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 6.5 and requires no user interaction to exploit over the network.

Critical Impact
Attackers can alter plugin configuration on affected WordPress sites without proper authorization, leading to integrity and availability impacts on meeting list functionality.

Affected Products

AA Web Servant 12 Step Meeting List plugin for WordPress
Versions from n/a through 3.16.5
WordPress installations running the vulnerable plugin

Discovery Timeline

2025-04-17 - CVE-2025-24583 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24583

Vulnerability Analysis

The 12 Step Meeting List plugin exposes actions that change plugin settings without enforcing a proper capability or authorization check. The plugin fails to verify that the requesting user holds the required WordPress capability before executing sensitive operations. This aligns with [CWE-862: Missing Authorization], where the software does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.

A remote attacker can send crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable endpoints and alter configuration values. Because the attack vector is network-based with low complexity and no privileges required, exploitation can be automated across exposed WordPress sites. The EPSS probability sits at 0.335%, indicating limited observed exploitation activity to date.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of authorization checks such as current_user_can() or nonce verification on plugin action handlers. WordPress plugins must gate privileged operations behind capability checks, which the 12 Step Meeting List plugin does not consistently apply on settings-modification code paths through version 3.16.5.

Attack Vector

An attacker sends HTTP requests to the WordPress site targeting the plugin's settings-change handlers. No authentication or user interaction is required. Successful exploitation modifies plugin configuration, which can degrade site integrity, disrupt meeting list availability, or serve as a pivot for further site tampering. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the technical description.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24583

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to 12 Step Meeting List plugin settings in the WordPress database wp_options table
HTTP POST requests to plugin admin-ajax or REST endpoints originating from unauthenticated sessions
WordPress audit log entries showing settings modifications without a corresponding administrator login

Detection Strategies

Inventory WordPress sites and identify installations running 12 Step Meeting List version 3.16.5 or earlier
Review web server access logs for anomalous requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php and plugin-specific endpoints
Compare current plugin settings against a known-good baseline to detect unauthorized configuration drift

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable WordPress activity logging plugins to capture settings changes with user attribution
Alert on plugin option updates that occur outside authenticated administrator sessions
Monitor for elevated request rates against WordPress AJAX and REST endpoints from single source IPs

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24583

Immediate Actions Required

Update the AA Web Servant 12 Step Meeting List plugin to a version later than 3.16.5 once available from the vendor
Restrict access to /wp-admin/ and /wp-json/ endpoints using web application firewall rules or IP allowlisting
Audit plugin settings and restore any unauthorized changes from a trusted backup

Patch Information

A fixed release addressing CVE-2025-24583 must be obtained from the plugin maintainer. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the latest patched version and vendor guidance.

Workarounds

Deactivate the 12 Step Meeting List plugin until a patched version is installed
Deploy a web application firewall rule blocking unauthenticated requests to the plugin's settings endpoints
Enforce authentication on /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php where feasible using server-level access controls

bash

# Example WAF rule concept: block unauthenticated POST requests to plugin AJAX actions
# Adjust to match the specific action names used by the 12-step-meeting-list plugin
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" \
  "chain,deny,status:403,id:1002458301,msg:'Block unauthenticated 12-step-meeting-list action'"
  SecRule ARGS:action "@rx ^(tsml_|12_step_)" \
    "chain"
    SecRule &REQUEST_COOKIES:wordpress_logged_in "@eq 0"