CVE-2025-47526: WooCommerce Swatches Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2025-47526 Overview

CVE-2025-47526 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the GS Variation Swatches for WooCommerce plugin developed by GS Plugins. The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 3.0.4. It results from incorrectly configured access control security levels, categorized under [CWE-862] Missing Authorization. Authenticated users with low privileges can invoke plugin functionality that should be restricted to higher-privileged roles. The issue impacts WooCommerce store owners running vulnerable versions on WordPress sites.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with low-level privileges can access restricted plugin functionality, potentially altering variation swatch configurations and affecting store integrity and availability.

Affected Products

GS Plugins GS Variation Swatches for WooCommerce (gs-woo-variation-swatches)
All versions from initial release through 3.0.4
WordPress sites running WooCommerce with the vulnerable plugin installed

Discovery Timeline

2025-05-07 - CVE-2025-47526 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-47526

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks within plugin action handlers exposed to authenticated WordPress users. The plugin fails to verify that the calling user holds the capability required to perform sensitive operations. As a result, subscriber-level or contributor-level accounts can invoke endpoints intended for administrators or shop managers.

The attack vector is network-based and requires low privileges without user interaction. Successful exploitation produces limited impact to integrity and availability, with no direct confidentiality loss. Store operators who allow open registration face a broader exposure surface because attackers can obtain the low-privilege account required for exploitation.

Root Cause

The root cause is an access control gap classified as [CWE-862] Missing Authorization. The affected action handlers in gs-woo-variation-swatches do not invoke a capability check such as current_user_can() before executing privileged logic. WordPress relies on plugin developers to enforce authorization on every AJAX action, admin-post handler, and REST endpoint, and this plugin omits that enforcement on at least one handler.

Attack Vector

An attacker authenticates to the target WordPress site with any low-privilege account. The attacker then issues a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable plugin action. Because no capability check is performed, the server executes the requested action and modifies plugin state. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for details of the affected endpoints.

No verified public exploit code is available at this time.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47526

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to WooCommerce variation swatch configurations or plugin settings
HTTP POST requests to admin-ajax.php or plugin admin-post handlers originating from low-privilege user sessions
Log entries showing plugin actions triggered by accounts that lack the manage_woocommerce or manage_options capability

Detection Strategies

Audit web server access logs for requests targeting gs-woo-variation-swatches action names paired with non-administrator session cookies
Compare current plugin configuration against known-good backups to identify unauthorized modification
Monitor WordPress audit logs for privilege-relevant actions performed by subscriber, customer, or contributor roles

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable a WordPress activity logging plugin that records the acting user, capability, and endpoint for every administrative action
Alert on any successful invocation of plugin AJAX actions by accounts below shop manager
Track plugin version and confirm upgrade status across all WordPress deployments in the environment

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47526

Immediate Actions Required

Update GS Variation Swatches for WooCommerce to a version later than 3.0.4 as soon as a fixed release is available from the vendor
Review and reduce open user registration if not required for store operation
Audit existing low-privilege accounts for signs of unauthorized activity against the plugin

Patch Information

The issue affects versions through 3.0.4. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the plugin's WordPress.org page for the fixed release version and upgrade instructions.

Workarounds

Deactivate gs-woo-variation-swatches until a patched version is installed if variation swatches are not business-critical
Restrict access to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php using a web application firewall rule that blocks the vulnerable action names for non-administrative users
Disable self-service registration or restrict new accounts to the customer role with minimal capabilities

bash

# Example WP-CLI commands to verify plugin version and disable if needed
wp plugin get gs-woo-variation-swatches --field=version
wp plugin deactivate gs-woo-variation-swatches