CVE-2025-49857: myCred Authorization Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-49857 Overview

CVE-2025-49857 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in the myCred WordPress plugin by Saad Iqbal. The flaw affects all versions from initial release through 2.9.4.2. Authenticated users with low privileges can exploit incorrectly configured access control checks to perform actions they should not be permitted to execute. The vulnerability is exploitable over the network and requires low attack complexity. Successful exploitation results in limited integrity impact on affected WordPress installations running the plugin.

Critical Impact
An authenticated attacker with low privileges can bypass access control checks in myCred to modify data or invoke plugin functions that should be restricted to higher-privileged users.

Affected Products

myCred WordPress plugin by Saad Iqbal
All versions up to and including 2.9.4.2
WordPress sites with myCred points, rewards, or gamification features enabled

Discovery Timeline

2025-06-17 - CVE-2025-49857 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-49857

Vulnerability Analysis

The myCred plugin implements points, ranks, badges, and rewards for WordPress sites. Multiple plugin actions do not verify the acting user's capability level before executing privileged operations. This category of flaw falls under Missing Authorization [CWE-862], where the code performs sensitive functionality without confirming the caller has the required role or capability.

Because the vulnerability requires only a low-privilege authenticated session, any subscriber-level account on a vulnerable site can attempt exploitation. The attack originates over the network through standard WordPress request handlers such as AJAX endpoints or admin-post routes exposed by the plugin.

Root Cause

The root cause is incorrectly configured access control checks in one or more myCred request handlers. The affected code paths either omit current_user_can() capability checks, rely on nonces without capability verification, or apply overly permissive capability requirements. WordPress nonces confirm request intent but do not enforce authorization, so their presence alone does not remediate the flaw.

Attack Vector

An attacker authenticates to the target WordPress site with any low-privilege account, such as a subscriber. The attacker then issues a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable myCred endpoint. Because the handler does not enforce a sufficient capability check, the request executes with the effective authority of the plugin function rather than the requesting user. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for endpoint-level technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49857

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to myCred point balances, ranks, badges, or transaction logs for user accounts.
Requests to myCred AJAX actions or admin-post handlers originating from subscriber-level or low-privilege sessions.
New or modified myCred configuration entries in wp_options without a corresponding administrator action.

Detection Strategies

Review WordPress access logs for POST requests to admin-ajax.php or admin-post.php referencing myCred actions from non-administrator user IDs.
Correlate myCred database transactions (wp_mycred_log) with the authenticated user session that triggered them.
Flag privilege-sensitive plugin actions invoked without an accompanying administrative session cookie.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable audit logging of plugin and user-capability changes through a WordPress activity logging solution.
Alert on abnormal spikes in point issuance, rank changes, or reward redemptions per user account.
Monitor WordPress user role changes and creation of new administrator accounts.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49857

Immediate Actions Required

Update the myCred plugin to a version later than 2.9.4.2 as soon as a fixed release is available from the vendor.
Audit existing user accounts and revoke unnecessary low-privilege registrations if open registration is enabled.
Review the myCred transaction log for suspicious point, rank, or badge modifications performed since the plugin was installed.

Patch Information

Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the current fixed version and patch metadata. Apply the vendor-supplied update through the WordPress plugin manager or WP-CLI once available.

Workarounds

Disable the myCred plugin until a patched version can be installed if the site does not require its functionality.
Restrict user registration to trusted users and disable open self-registration where feasible.
Deploy a web application firewall rule to block requests to vulnerable myCred endpoints from non-administrator sessions.

bash

# Update myCred using WP-CLI once a fixed version is published
wp plugin update mycred

# Or temporarily deactivate the plugin site-wide
wp plugin deactivate mycred