WordPress security changelog
MEDIUM CVE-2025-3861 Deferred

Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files: A security weakness

Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files is affected by a security weakness. Exploitation requires at least contributor-level access. The resulting impact depends on how the affected component exposes the vulnerable operation.

CVE / CNA score 5.4 CVSS 3.1 · security@wordfence.com
NVD score Pending NVD has not published its own CVSS assessment.
Component
Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files
Plugin slug
prevent-direct-access
Affected
See vendor advisory
Safe version
See mitigation notes
Published
Apr 25, 2025
Weakness
CWE-863 — Incorrect Authorization

This CVE was published Apr 25, 2025 and is one of 2 known issues for this plugin.

Update, patch or deactivate.

Update Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files to a release outside the affected range, or disable and remove it until a fixed version is available.

No confirmed safe version is listed. Consider a vendor-supported patch or temporarily restricting the affected functionality while you assess the risk.

Deactivate only when warranted by your risk profile, or when advised by your hosting provider in the limited circumstances where the vulnerability cannot otherwise be mitigated. If you’re unsure which action is appropriate, contact Fused or your hosting provider for guidance.

Technical 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.

CVE / CNA vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

Primary and upstream sources