CVE-2025-31862 Overview
CVE-2025-31862 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the PickPlugins Job Board Manager plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.1.61. Attackers can exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels to interact with plugin functionality that should be restricted. The issue is tracked under CWE-862: Missing Authorization and is documented in the Patchstack Vulnerability Report. The vulnerability is network-exploitable and requires no authentication or user interaction.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can bypass access control checks in the Job Board Manager plugin, resulting in limited integrity impact on affected WordPress sites.
Affected Products
- PickPlugins Job Board Manager for WordPress
- All versions from n/a through <= 2.1.61
- WordPress sites with the job-board-manager plugin installed
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-04-01 - CVE-2025-31862 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-31862
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks within one or more request handlers exposed by the Job Board Manager plugin. The plugin registers endpoints that perform sensitive actions without validating whether the caller has the required capability or role. Attackers can invoke these endpoints directly over HTTP without authenticating. Because the plugin is designed to manage job postings, exposed functions may include operations that alter plugin data or configuration.
The CVSS vector indicates limited integrity impact only, with no confidentiality or availability consequences. Exploitation does not require privileges or user interaction, which broadens the pool of potential attackers to anonymous internet users.
Root Cause
The root cause is a failure to enforce capability checks such as current_user_can() or nonce verification via check_ajax_referer() on plugin action handlers. This maps to CWE-862: Missing Authorization. When WordPress plugins register AJAX or REST endpoints without gating them behind authorization primitives, any request that satisfies the routing conditions reaches the handler.
Attack Vector
An unauthenticated attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable endpoint exposed by the Job Board Manager plugin. The request bypasses access control because the handler does not verify the caller's identity or capabilities. The vulnerability manifests in the plugin's action-handling logic; refer to the Patchstack advisory for technical specifics on the affected endpoints.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-31862
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected HTTP POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php referencing Job Board Manager actions from unauthenticated sessions.
- Requests to plugin REST routes under /wp-json/ that originate from external IPs without prior authentication.
- Unexplained modifications to job listings, applicant records, or plugin configuration entries in the WordPress database.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory WordPress installations and identify sites running the job-board-manager plugin at version 2.1.61 or earlier.
- Review web server access logs for anonymous requests targeting plugin action handlers.
- Correlate WordPress database changes with plugin activity to identify unauthorized writes.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging to capture plugin actions, user changes, and post modifications.
- Forward web server and application logs to a centralized log platform for anomaly analysis.
- Alert on spikes of admin-ajax.php traffic that lack an authenticated session cookie.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-31862
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the PickPlugins Job Board Manager plugin to a version later than 2.1.61 once released by the vendor.
- Audit WordPress sites for the presence of the job-board-manager plugin and prioritize patching public-facing instances.
- Restrict access to WordPress administrative endpoints using web application firewall rules or IP allow lists.
Patch Information
At the time of NVD publication, affected versions include all releases up to and including 2.1.61. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the plugin vendor's changelog for the fixed release version.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Job Board Manager plugin until a patched version is deployed.
- Deploy a web application firewall rule to block unauthenticated requests to the plugin's AJAX and REST endpoints.
- Limit /wp-admin/ access to trusted networks via server-level access controls such as .htaccess or Nginx allow/deny directives.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
