CVE-2026-25020: WP Sync for Notion Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2026-25020 Overview

CVE-2026-25020 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the WP Sync for Notion WordPress plugin developed by WP connect. The flaw affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.7.0. Attackers with low-privilege authenticated access can exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels to perform actions reserved for higher-privileged users. The vulnerability maps to CWE-862: Missing Authorization and primarily impacts data integrity through unauthorized state changes. No public exploit is currently available, and the issue has not been observed in active exploitation campaigns.

Critical Impact
Authenticated users with low privileges can bypass access control checks to invoke restricted plugin functionality, compromising the integrity of Notion-synchronized content on affected WordPress sites.

Affected Products

WP connect WP Sync for Notion plugin for WordPress
All versions from initial release through 1.7.0
WordPress sites running the wp-sync-for-notion plugin

Discovery Timeline

2026-02-03 - CVE-2026-25020 published to NVD
2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25020

Vulnerability Analysis

The WP Sync for Notion plugin synchronizes content between Notion workspaces and WordPress sites. The plugin exposes administrative or configuration endpoints that lack proper authorization checks. An authenticated user with low privileges, such as a subscriber or contributor, can invoke these endpoints and trigger functionality that should be restricted to administrators.

The attack requires network access and valid authentication, but no user interaction. The impact is limited to integrity, meaning attackers can modify plugin state or synchronized data without affecting confidentiality or availability of the underlying WordPress installation. EPSS scoring places real-world exploitation likelihood low at the time of publication.

Root Cause

The plugin's action handlers fail to verify the capability or role of the calling user before executing privileged operations. WordPress plugins are expected to enforce authorization through current_user_can() checks or nonce validation tied to capability levels. In wp-sync-for-notion through version 1.7.0, one or more handlers omit these checks, allowing any authenticated session to invoke the function. This pattern is a classic [CWE-862] missing authorization defect rather than a flaw in WordPress itself.

Attack Vector

An attacker first obtains a low-privilege account on the target WordPress site, either by registering on sites with open registration or by compromising an existing low-tier account. The attacker then issues authenticated HTTP requests to the vulnerable plugin endpoints, typically admin-ajax.php actions or REST routes registered by the plugin. Because the handlers do not validate the user's role, the requests execute with administrator-level effect on the plugin's data and configuration. See the Patchstack WP Sync for Notion advisory for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25020

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected modifications to Notion-synced content, posts, or plugin configuration on WordPress sites running wp-sync-for-notion version 1.7.0 or earlier.
Requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or plugin REST endpoints originating from subscriber or contributor accounts.
New or modified scheduled synchronization tasks tied to the plugin without corresponding administrator activity.

Detection Strategies

Audit WordPress access logs for authenticated requests to plugin-specific AJAX actions or REST routes invoked by non-administrator users.
Compare current plugin configuration and synchronized content against known-good baselines to identify unauthorized changes.
Enable WordPress audit logging plugins to record capability-sensitive actions and flag invocations by low-privilege roles.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward WordPress and webserver logs to a centralized logging platform for correlation against user role context.
Alert on HTTP 200 responses to plugin endpoints when the originating session belongs to a subscriber, contributor, or unauthenticated user.
Track plugin version inventory across WordPress estates to identify hosts still running vulnerable releases.

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25020

Immediate Actions Required

Update the WP Sync for Notion plugin to a version above 1.7.0 once the vendor publishes a fixed release.
Restrict user registration on WordPress sites that do not require self-service signup to reduce the population of low-privilege accounts.
Review existing user accounts and remove unused subscriber, contributor, or author accounts that could be repurposed for exploitation.

Patch Information

At the time of publication, the Patchstack advisory lists the vulnerability as affecting WP Sync for Notion through 1.7.0. Administrators should monitor the plugin's official update channel and apply the patched release as soon as it becomes available.

Workarounds

Deactivate the WP Sync for Notion plugin until a patched version is installed if Notion synchronization is non-essential.
Place the WordPress administrative interface behind a web application firewall rule that restricts plugin AJAX and REST endpoints to administrator sessions.
Use a WordPress role management plugin to confirm that subscriber and contributor accounts cannot invoke the plugin's privileged actions, and revoke unnecessary capabilities.

bash

# Configuration example: disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI until a patch is available
wp plugin deactivate wp-sync-for-notion
wp plugin status wp-sync-for-notion