# CVE-2025-5998: PPWP < 1.9.11 - Subscriber+ Access Bypass via REST API

> Subscribers can bypass password protection to view restricted site content via the REST API in the PPWP WordPress plugin.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 14 Aug 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-858f-824m-5p75

## What is CVE-2025-5998?

CVE-2025-5998 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown PPWP – Password Protect Pages, published on 14 Aug 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The PPWP – Password Protect Pages WordPress plugin before version 1.9.11 allows to put the site content behind a password authorization, however users with subscriber or greater roles can view content via the REST API.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-5998?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Passwordprotectwp Password Protect Wordpress.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-5998?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-5998 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-5998 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-5998 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown PPWP – Password Protect Pages

- [CVE-2022-4626](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4626/): PPWP – WordPress Password Protect Page < 1.8.6 - Contributor+ Stored XSS in Shortcode (medium 5.4)
- [CVE-2024-0620](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-0620/): PPWP – Password Protect Pages <= 1.8.9 - Protection Mechanism Bypass (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-5998 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-5998 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown PPWP – Password Protect Pages, published on 14 Aug 2025. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-5998 exists.

Affected product: Unknown PPWP – Password Protect Pages. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-5998/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-5998/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-5998
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-5998
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-5998

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-5998/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.