CVE-2025-48165 in DELUCKS SEO Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/20/2025
Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability in DELUCKS DELUCKS SEO allows Privilege Escalation. This issue affects DELUCKS SEO: from n/a through 2.6.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2026
The incorrect privilege assignment vulnerability in DELUCKS DELUCKS SEO represents a critical access control flaw that enables unauthorized privilege escalation within the affected software ecosystem. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of user permissions and access levels, allowing malicious actors to elevate their privileges beyond what should be permitted. The issue affects all versions from the initial release through version 2.6.0, indicating a persistent flaw that has remained unaddressed across multiple iterations of the software. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which specifically addresses incorrect permissions for critical resources, and represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege that should govern all software systems. From an operational perspective, this flaw creates a pathway for attackers to gain administrative or elevated access rights that should be restricted to authorized personnel only.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability likely involves improper validation of user roles or access tokens during authentication and authorization processes. Attackers can exploit this weakness by manipulating session data, exploiting missing access controls, or by leveraging predictable privilege structures within the software's permission model. The vulnerability may manifest through various attack vectors including but not limited to session hijacking, parameter manipulation, or by exploiting insecure direct object references that allow unauthorized access to administrative functions. The affected software's privilege management system appears to inadequately verify user permissions before granting access to sensitive operations, creating a window for malicious users to bypass normal access controls and assume higher privilege levels.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, potentially enabling complete system compromise and data breaches. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw could gain access to sensitive configuration data, user information, or administrative controls that would otherwise be restricted. This vulnerability creates opportunities for persistent threats to establish footholds within the system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system modification, or service disruption. The impact is particularly severe given that the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software, suggesting that organizations using any version within this range are at risk. This type of vulnerability commonly maps to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics, where attackers leverage system weaknesses to maintain persistent access and avoid detection.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including but not limited to updating to the latest available version of DELUCKS SEO, implementing additional access controls, and conducting comprehensive security reviews of user permission settings. Security teams should also establish monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized privilege changes and implement proper input validation to prevent manipulation of access control parameters. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation and the need for regular security assessments of all software components. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and least privilege access models to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Additionally, regular security training for developers and administrators on secure coding practices and privilege management is essential to prevent similar issues in future software deployments.