CVE-2025-3861 Prevent Direct Access 2.8.6 - 2.8.8.2 - Incorrect Authorization to Authenticated (Contributor+) Multiple Media Actions
Authenticated contributors can bypass authorization checks to modify media protection status in the Prevent Direct Access WordPress plugin.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Any signed-in user
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2025-3861?
CVE-2025-3861 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in buildwps Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files, published on 25 Apr 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
The Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access and modification of data| due to a misconfigured capability check on the 'pda_lite_custom_permission_check' function in versions 2.8.6 to 2.8.8.2. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to access and change the protection status of media.
Weakness: CWE-863
Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-3861?
How do I fix CVE-2025-3861?
No fix has been published for CVE-2025-3861 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2025-3861 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-3861 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-2cf2-4mqr-v9rj.