CVE-2026-25471
Published: 19 March 2026
Summary
CVE-2026-25471 is a high-severity Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (CWE-288) vulnerability. Its CVSS base score is 8.1 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 22.6th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 AC-14 (Permitted Actions Without Identification or Authentication) and AC-3 (Access Enforcement).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Explicitly identifies and authorizes only specific actions performable without identification or authentication, directly mitigating authentication bypass via alternate paths used for password recovery exploitation.
Requires robust identification and authentication for organizational users, preventing bypass vulnerabilities in mechanisms like the affected plugin's password recovery.
Enforces approved access authorizations, blocking unauthorized access through vulnerable alternate channels or paths in the WordPress plugin.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Authentication bypass via alternate path in public-facing WordPress plugin directly enables remote exploitation of internet-facing application for initial access and admin compromise.
NVD Description
Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel vulnerability in Themepaste Admin Safety Guard admin-safety-guard allows Password Recovery Exploitation.This issue affects Admin Safety Guard: from n/a through <= 1.2.7.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2026-25471 is an Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel vulnerability in the Themepaste Admin Safety Guard (admin-safety-guard) WordPress plugin. This issue allows Password Recovery Exploitation and affects versions from n/a through <=1.2.7. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and maps to CWE-288.
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network, requiring high attack complexity but no user interaction or privileges. Successful exploitation enables high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, allowing attackers to bypass authentication via an alternate path or channel and leverage password recovery mechanisms.
The Patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/admin-safety-guard/vulnerability/wordpress-admin-safety-guard-plugin-1-2-2-broken-authentication-vulnerability?_s_id=cve details this broken authentication vulnerability in the WordPress Admin Safety Guard plugin.
Details
- CWE(s)