CVE-2025-14043

Tainacan <= 1.0.1 - Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Arbitrary Metadata Section Creation

Published Dec 21, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 5.3 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed

Description

The Tainacan plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized metadata section creation due to missing authorization checks in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.1. This is due to the `create_item_permissions_check()` function unconditionally returning true, which bypasses authentication and authorization validation. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to create arbitrary metadata sections for any collection via the public REST API granted they can access the WordPress site.

Analysis

Technical impact

The flaw in Tainacan arises from a missing authorization check in the REST API; the create_item_permissions_check() function always returns true, allowing any requester to create new metadata sections. This enables an attacker to add arbitrary sections to any collection without authenticating, thereby modifying the data schema used by the site. The weakness is captured by CWE-862, Unauthorized Access Through Improper Access Control.

Affected Systems

The vulnerability affects the Tainacan plugin for WordPress in all releases up to and including version 1.0.1. Users who rely on these versions for managing collections are susceptible; newer releases are not known to be impacted.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score of 5.3 indicates moderate severity, and the EPSS score of less than 1% suggests exploitation is unlikely in the wild. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, and no publicly reported exploit is available. Attackers can trigger the issue via the public REST API, which requires no authentication credentials. While the immediate impact is limited to unauthorized data structure changes, it could undermine trust and consistency of the collection metadata in affected WordPress sites.

Affected Products

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor Product Default status Versions

tainacan

Tainacan

unaffected

Version	Status	Constraints
`0`	affected	≤ 1.0.1

No data.

Vendor	Product	Versions
Tainacan	Tainacan	—
Wordpress	Wordpress	—

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

Upgrade the Tainacan plugin to version 1.0.2 or later, which restores proper permission checks for metadata section creation.
Restrict the public REST API for metadata sections so that only users with appropriate roles can create sections, e.g., by setting endpoint permissions to "editor" or higher.
Implement logging and alerting for metadata section creation actions to detect and respond to unauthorized attempts.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on April 22, 2026 at 00:08 UTC.

Tracking

Advisories

No advisories available

Metrics

No CVSS v4.0

Attack Vector Network

Attack Complexity Low

Privileges Required None

Scope Unchanged

Confidentiality Impact None

Integrity Impact Low

Availability Impact None

User Interaction None

No CVSS v3.0

No CVSS v2

This CVE is not in the KEV list.

Exploit prediction score: < 1% (0.338% probability within 30 days)

Exploitation none

Automatable yes

Technical Impact partial

References

Link	Providers
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tainacan/tags/1.0.1/classes/api/endpoints/class-tainacan-rest-metadata-sections-controller.php#L363
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tainacan/trunk/classes/api/endpoints/class-tainacan-rest-metadata-sections-controller.php#L363
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/5596a0f0-6bfe-4c6e-a0d6-117e13117098?source=cve

History

Dec 22, 2025 9:15 PM Scoring metrics updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Metrics		ssvc `{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}`

Dec 22, 2025 11:45 AM First appearance in the feed. Affected vendors updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
First Time appeared		Tainacan Tainacan tainacan Wordpress Wordpress wordpress
Vendors & Products		Tainacan Tainacan tainacan Wordpress Wordpress wordpress

Dec 21, 2025 2:45 AM Description updated. Title updated. Weaknesses updated. Added references. Scoring metrics updated View changes

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
Description		The Tainacan plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized metadata section creation due to missing authorization checks in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.1. This is due to the `create_item_permissions_check()` function unconditionally returning true, which bypasses authentication and authorization validation. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to create arbitrary metadata sections for any collection via the public REST API granted they can access the WordPress site.
Title		Tainacan <= 1.0.1 - Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Arbitrary Metadata Section Creation
Weaknesses		CWE-862
References		https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tainacan/tags/1.0.1/classes/api/endpoints/class-tainacan-rest-metadata-sections-controller.php#L363 https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/tainacan/trunk/classes/api/endpoints/class-tainacan-rest-metadata-sections-controller.php#L363 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/5596a0f0-6bfe-4c6e-a0d6-117e13117098?source=cve
Metrics		cvssV3_1 `{'score': 5.3, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N'}`