CVE-2025-49874: Arconix FAQ Authorization Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-49874 Overview

CVE-2025-49874 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in the Arconix FAQ plugin for WordPress, developed by tychesoftwares. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 1.9.6 and stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels. Authenticated users with low privileges can invoke plugin functionality that should be restricted to higher-privileged roles. The issue was published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) on June 17, 2025.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers with low-level WordPress accounts can access plugin functions outside their intended privilege scope, leading to limited confidentiality impact on the affected site.

Affected Products

• tychesoftwares Arconix FAQ WordPress plugin (arconix-faq)
• All versions from n/a through 1.9.6
• WordPress installations with the plugin active

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-17 - CVE-2025-49874 published to NVD
• 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-49874

Vulnerability Analysis

The Arconix FAQ plugin exposes functionality without properly verifying the caller's authorization level. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-862: Missing Authorization. An authenticated attacker with low privileges, such as a Subscriber, can invoke plugin actions that WordPress site administrators would reasonably expect to be gated behind capability checks.

Exploitation requires network access to the WordPress site and a valid low-privilege authenticated session. No user interaction is needed beyond the attacker-controlled request. The flaw produces a limited confidentiality impact without affecting integrity or availability of the host site, according to the published CVSS vector.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of capability checks (for example, current_user_can()) or nonce verification on plugin endpoints. When plugin code processes privileged actions without validating the caller's role, WordPress's role-based access control model is bypassed at the application layer.

Attack Vector

An attacker authenticates to the target WordPress site using any available low-privilege account. The attacker then issues HTTP requests to the vulnerable plugin endpoints, invoking actions that should be restricted to editors or administrators. Because the plugin does not enforce authorization, the request succeeds and returns data or performs operations the user would not otherwise access.

No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. See the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-49874

Indicators of Compromise

• Requests to Arconix FAQ plugin endpoints under /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or plugin-specific routes originating from Subscriber-level accounts
• Unexpected modifications to FAQ content or plugin configuration performed by non-administrative users
• Spikes in authenticated POST requests to plugin handlers from a single session

Detection Strategies

• Enable WordPress audit logging to capture AJAX actions, actor roles, and request parameters tied to the arconix-faq plugin
• Review web server access logs for low-privilege users invoking plugin actions normally reserved for editors or administrators
• Correlate plugin-related requests with user role data to flag privilege mismatches

Monitoring Recommendations

• Alert on any plugin action invoked by Subscriber or Customer roles against arconix-faq handlers
• Monitor for creation of new low-privilege accounts followed shortly by requests to plugin endpoints
• Track plugin version strings in HTTP responses to maintain an inventory of vulnerable installations

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-49874

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the Arconix FAQ plugin to a version later than 1.9.6 once released by tychesoftwares
• Audit existing WordPress user accounts and remove unused low-privilege accounts
• Review FAQ content and plugin settings for unauthorized changes

Patch Information

At the time of publication, the vulnerability affects Arconix FAQ versions through 1.9.6. Administrators should monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the plugin's WordPress.org page for a fixed release.

Workarounds

• Deactivate and remove the Arconix FAQ plugin until a patched version is available
• Restrict access to /wp-admin/ and admin-ajax.php using a web application firewall (WAF) rule that blocks plugin endpoints for low-privilege sessions
• Disable self-registration or enforce administrator approval for new accounts to limit the pool of authenticated attackers

# Example WAF rule concept: block arconix-faq AJAX actions from non-admin sessions
# ModSecurity pseudo-rule
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php" \
  "chain,deny,status:403,id:1004987,msg:'Block arconix-faq low-priv access'"
  SecRule ARGS:action "@beginsWith arconix_faq" \
    "chain"
    SecRule REQUEST_HEADERS:Cookie "!@contains wordpress_logged_in_admin"