CVE-2026-25423: Real 3D FlipBook Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25423 Overview

CVE-2026-25423 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability affecting the Real 3D FlipBook WordPress plugin (real3d-flipbook-lite) developed by creativeinteractivemedia. This broken access control vulnerability allows attackers to exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels, potentially enabling unauthorized actions within the WordPress environment.

The vulnerability stems from CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), where the plugin fails to properly verify that a user has the necessary permissions before allowing access to certain functionality. This type of flaw can allow authenticated users with minimal privileges to perform actions that should be restricted to higher-privileged roles.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers with high-level privileges can bypass authorization controls to modify or delete resources without proper permission checks, affecting the integrity and availability of the WordPress site.

Affected Products

• Real 3D FlipBook WordPress Plugin versions up to and including 4.16.4
• WordPress installations running the real3d-flipbook-lite plugin

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-19 - CVE CVE-2026-25423 published to NVD
• 2026-02-19 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25423

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a classic broken access control flaw where the Real 3D FlipBook plugin fails to implement proper authorization checks before executing sensitive operations. The attack requires network access and high-level privileges (PR:H), indicating that an authenticated administrator-level user could potentially exploit misconfigurations in the access control implementation.

The impact is limited in scope, affecting only integrity (I:L) and availability (A:L) with no confidentiality impact. This suggests the vulnerability allows unauthorized modification or deletion of plugin resources, but does not expose sensitive data.

Root Cause

The root cause is CWE-862: Missing Authorization. The plugin does not adequately verify that users have the necessary permissions to perform certain actions. When authorization checks are absent or improperly implemented, users may be able to access functionality or data that should be restricted based on their role within the WordPress site.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, meaning exploitation occurs over HTTP/HTTPS connections to the WordPress installation. An attacker would need:

1. Network access to the target WordPress site
2. High-privilege authenticated access (such as an administrator account)
3. Knowledge of the vulnerable functionality within the Real 3D FlipBook plugin

The vulnerability allows exploitation of incorrectly configured access control security levels. While the attack complexity is low, the requirement for high-level privileges limits the practical exploitability. The vulnerability could be leveraged in scenarios where an attacker has compromised an administrator account or in multi-user WordPress environments with improperly scoped administrator roles.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25423

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected modifications to FlipBook plugin settings or content
• Unauthorized creation, modification, or deletion of flipbook resources
• Unusual administrative actions in WordPress audit logs related to the Real 3D FlipBook plugin
• Access to plugin functionality from accounts that should not have such permissions

Detection Strategies

• Review WordPress audit logs for unauthorized access to Real 3D FlipBook administrative functions
• Monitor for unusual patterns of plugin configuration changes
• Implement file integrity monitoring on plugin directories to detect unauthorized modifications
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect access control bypass attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for WordPress administrative actions
• Configure alerts for modifications to FlipBook plugin settings from unexpected user accounts
• Regularly audit user permissions and roles in WordPress to ensure proper access control
• Monitor network traffic for suspicious POST requests to Real 3D FlipBook plugin endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25423

Immediate Actions Required

• Verify the installed version of Real 3D FlipBook plugin and update if a patched version is available
• Review and restrict administrative user accounts to only those who require access
• Audit recent changes to FlipBook content and settings for signs of unauthorized access
• Consider temporarily disabling the plugin until a security patch is applied

Patch Information

A security advisory has been published by Patchstack detailing this vulnerability. Users should check with the plugin vendor for security updates addressing versions through 4.16.4. Monitor the WordPress plugin repository and vendor announcements for patch availability.

Workarounds

• Implement strict user role management, ensuring only trusted accounts have administrative access
• Use a security plugin to add additional access control layers to WordPress administration
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to monitor and filter suspicious requests
• Restrict access to the WordPress admin area by IP address if possible
• Regularly back up WordPress content to enable recovery if unauthorized modifications occur

# Verify installed plugin version via WP-CLI
wp plugin list --name=real3d-flipbook-lite --fields=name,version,status

# Temporarily deactivate the plugin if no patch is available
wp plugin deactivate real3d-flipbook-lite

# Review recent WordPress user activity (if using an audit plugin)
wp db query "SELECT * FROM wp_activity_log WHERE action LIKE '%flipbook%' ORDER BY created DESC LIMIT 50;"