CVE-2025-12040 in Wishlist for WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/25/2025
The Wishlist for WooCommerce plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object Reference in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.9 via several functions in class-th-wishlist-frontend.php due to missing validation on a user controlled key. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to modify other user's wishlists
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-12040 affects the Wishlist for WooCommerce plugin, a popular WordPress extension that enables users to create and manage wishlists for products. This security flaw exists in all versions up to and including 1.0.9, representing a critical weakness that undermines the integrity of user data management within e-commerce environments. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the plugin's frontend functionality, specifically within the class-th-wishlist-frontend.php file. The insecure direct object reference vulnerability allows unauthorized parties to manipulate objects they should not have access to by exploiting a missing validation check on user-controlled keys.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through several functions within the plugin's frontend class where user input is directly used to reference wishlist objects without proper authorization verification. When an attacker constructs a malicious request with a manipulated user identifier or wishlist key, the system fails to validate whether the requesting party has legitimate access rights to modify the target wishlist. This design flaw enables attackers to bypass normal access controls and potentially modify, delete, or otherwise manipulate wishlists belonging to other users. The vulnerability specifically targets the object reference mechanism that should enforce user ownership and access restrictions, creating a pathway for unauthorized data manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification to encompass potential privacy breaches and user data compromise. Attackers can exploit this weakness to access sensitive user information stored within wishlists, including product preferences, browsing behaviors, and potentially personal details. The implications are particularly severe in e-commerce environments where wishlists often contain valuable consumer insights and personal shopping preferences that could be leveraged for targeted attacks or data harvesting. This vulnerability essentially undermines the core security model of user-specific data management, allowing unauthorized access to potentially sensitive information that users expect to be private and protected.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-639 which describes Insecure Direct Object Reference, a weakness that occurs when an application provides direct access to objects based on user-supplied input without proper authorization checks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under privilege escalation and data access techniques where adversaries exploit insecure object references to gain unauthorized access to resources. Organizations using this plugin face significant risk of data exposure and potential regulatory violations, particularly in environments subject to data protection regulations such as GDPR or CCPA where user privacy is paramount.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate plugin updates to versions that address the validation gap, but organizations should also implement additional defensive measures. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in wishlist modification requests, and access logging should be implemented to track user activities. Security headers and input sanitization measures can provide additional layers of protection, while regular security audits of third-party plugins should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper access control implementation and input validation in web applications, particularly in e-commerce platforms where user data integrity is critical. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and rate limiting to prevent automated exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability.