Broken Access Control in DMCA Protection Badge (<= 2.2.0) — What WordPress Site Owners Must Do Now

Summary
On 31 December 2025 a broken access control vulnerability affecting the WordPress plugin “DMCA Protection Badge” (versions up to and including 2.2.0) was published and assigned CVE-2025-62145. The issue allows unauthenticated actors to perform privileged actions because of missing authorization/nonce checks. The vulnerability carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N) — network exploitable, no authentication required, limited integrity impact, no confidentiality or availability impact.

Action required: If you run this plugin (or maintain client sites that do), treat this as a priority. An unauthenticated broken access control bug can let an attacker alter plugin state, change configuration, or trigger actions that lead to further compromise.

Note: this guidance is written from the perspective of a Hong Kong-based security practitioner with experience advising WordPress site owners. The advice is technical and action-oriented — suitable for site administrators, developers, and incident responders.

What “Broken Access Control” means here

“Broken access control” is a class of problems where code allows users to perform actions they should not be able to do. In WordPress plugins this commonly manifests as:

• Missing capability checks (for example, failing to verify current_user_can('manage_options')).
• Missing authentication or nonce checks on AJAX or REST endpoints.
• Public handlers that perform configuration changes or privileged actions.

For DMCA Protection Badge (<= 2.2.0) the vulnerability is a missing authorization/nonce check on a request path reachable by unauthenticated users. Practically this means an attacker can call specific plugin endpoints and cause the plugin to perform higher‑privileged operations — such as changing settings, injecting or updating content, or enabling features that could be abused later.

CVSS breakdown

• Attack Vector: Network (web)
• Attack Complexity: Low
• Privileges Required: None (unauthenticated)
• User Interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Impact: Integrity Low, Confidentiality None, Availability None

Even with a “medium/low” score, unauthenticated integrity changes can be leveraged into more serious compromises — e.g., adding malicious code, modifying redirects, or creating persistent backdoors.

Who is at risk

• Any WordPress site with DMCA Protection Badge installed at version <= 2.2.0.
• Sites where the plugin was active, even if not used regularly.
• Multisite networks using the plugin on subsites.
• Hosts, agencies and freelancers managing many sites where the plugin may exist unnoticed.

Quick immediate checklist (do this now)

1. Identify whether the plugin is installed and which version:
   • WP Admin: Plugins → look for “DMCA Protection Badge” and note the version.
   • WP‑CLI: wp plugin list --status=active | grep dmca-badge
2. If the plugin is installed and version ≤ 2.2.0:
   • Deactivate and remove the plugin immediately if you cannot apply a vendor patch (see remediation below).
   • WP‑CLI commands:

     wp plugin deactivate dmca-badge
     wp plugin delete dmca-badge

3. Scan for signs of compromise: file changes, unexpected admin users, suspicious scheduled tasks.
   • Run malware scans and file integrity checks with available scanning tools or server-side scanners.
   • Check webserver and application logs for suspicious requests to plugin paths or admin endpoints.
4. If you detect suspicious activity, follow the incident response plan further below.

How to detect presence and possible exploitation

A. Check plugin presence and version

• WP Admin: look under Plugins for “DMCA Protection Badge”.
• WP‑CLI:

  wp plugin list --format=csv | grep dmca-badge
  wp plugin get dmca-badge --field=version

B. Search webserver logs for suspicious access

Look for requests to plugin files or AJAX endpoints. Example patterns for access.log / error.log:

• Requests to plugin files and folders:
  • /wp-content/plugins/dmca-badge/
  • /wp-content/plugins/dmca-badge/*
• Requests to admin-ajax or admin-post endpoints with plugin action parameters:
  • /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=
  • /wp-admin/admin-post.php?action=
• Frequent or anomalous requests from single IPs to plugin endpoints.

C. Database and configuration indicators

• New or modified options referencing dmca or badge.
• New or modified posts containing injected links or scripts.
• Suspicious admin users or changes to roles.

D. File integrity

• Compare wp-content/plugins/dmca-badge/ files to a known-good copy (if available).
• Use checksums to detect tampering and look for unexpected new PHP files.

Controlled example WP‑CLI commands for triage

Perform these on a staging instance where possible. Be cautious on production systems.

# Check plugin version
wp plugin get dmca-badge --field=version

# Deactivate immediately
wp plugin deactivate dmca-badge

# Delete plugin (if you cannot wait for a patch)
wp plugin delete dmca-badge

# List recently modified files in plugin directory
find wp-content/plugins/dmca-badge -type f -mtime -30 -ls

# Search options containing 'dmca'
wp db query "SELECT option_name, option_value FROM wp_options WHERE option_name LIKE '%dmca%';"

# Audit for new admin users (last 7 days)
wp user list --role=administrator --format=csv --field=ID,user_email,user_registered | awk -F, '$3 > "2025-12-24"'

Tactical mitigation options (short term)

If a vendor patch is not yet available, implement one or more of the following immediately:

• Remove or deactivate the plugin (preferred when feasible).
• Apply application-layer protections (WAF or server rules) to block exploit patterns:
  • Deny direct access to /wp-content/plugins/dmca-badge/* where possible.
  • Rate-limit and challenge suspicious admin-ajax.php requests that include plugin-related action parameters.
  • Disable unnecessary HTTP methods on plugin paths.
• Restrict access to WordPress admin area:
  • IP allowlisting for /wp-admin and /wp-login.php if practical.
  • Enforce two-factor authentication for administrative accounts.
• Harden nonces and forms, enforce strong passwords and rotate high-privilege credentials.
• Increase logging and set alerts for any accesses to the plugin paths or anomalous POST activity.

WAF / virtual patch recommendation examples

A properly configured WAF or server rule can block exploitation while you prepare a permanent fix. Example rule ideas:

• Rule: Block requests where the URL path begins with /wp-content/plugins/dmca-badge/. Action: Block or present CAPTCHA.
• Rule: Block /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php requests where the query string contains known plugin action names (or “dmca_badge”). Action: Block or challenge.
• Rule: Rate-limit or temporary block high request rates from the same IP to plugin paths or admin endpoints.
• Rule: Block payloads with suspicious content (script tags, base64 blobs, eval/gzinflate patterns) targeted at plugin handlers.

Refine rules to reduce false positives and test in “log” mode where possible prior to blocking.

Remediation: update, remove, replace

1. Apply vendor patch when released — update immediately and test in staging first if possible.
2. If the plugin is abandoned or no patch is offered:
   • Remove the plugin.
   • Replace functionality with an actively maintained alternative, or implement required features in a controlled way (theme code or custom plugin with proper checks).
3. If you must keep functionality temporarily:
   • Restrict access to plugin endpoints via server configuration (.htaccess or NGINX rules).
   • Use WAF virtual patching as a temporary mitigation until a proper fix is available.

Incident response plan (if you suspect exploitation)

If you see indicators of exploitation — unexpected file changes, new admin users, unknown outgoing connections, or webshells — follow this plan:

1. Containment

• Put the site into maintenance mode or take it offline if active exploitation is confirmed.
• Isolate the host from the network if you control the server layer.
• Revoke any suspected compromised credentials (rotate admin and database passwords, API keys).

2. Identification

• Preserve logs (webserver, application, system). Make copies for analysis.
• Search for modified files, new PHP files, webshells, and suspicious scheduled tasks (cron events).
• Inspect the database for unauthorized changes (new users, posts, options).

3. Eradication

• Remove malicious files and backdoors. Use reputable scanners and manual inspection for confirmation.
• Restore from a clean backup if you have a known-good snapshot predating the incident.

4. Recovery

• Apply updates or remove the vulnerable plugin.
• Rebuild compromised hosts from trusted images and restore data from clean backups.
• Reapply hardening steps: rotate passwords, enable 2FA, reconfigure firewall rules.

5. Lessons learned and reporting

• Document the attack vector, mitigation and recovery steps.
• Improve monitoring, backup cadence and patching processes.
• If required, inform affected stakeholders and customers in line with your incident response policy and local regulations.

Forensics: what to check specifically on a WordPress site

• File system: unexpected PHP files in wp-content/uploads/ or plugin directories, modified core files like wp-config.php.
• Database: new admin accounts, unexpected role changes, suspicious options or cron entries.
• Logs: requests to plugin endpoints (especially new or unusual POSTs to admin-ajax.php).
• Network: outgoing connections to unknown IPs or domains from the web server.

If you discover indicators of systemic compromise (data exfiltration, system persistence), engage your host or an incident response team immediately.

Layered security approach (practical guidance)

Adopt a layered defence model: application-layer protections (WAF / server rules), file integrity and malware scanning, monitoring and alerting, and host/network hardening. Specific, tested rules and monitoring will reduce the attack surface and catch exploitation attempts early.

Practical configuration recommendations

• Create WAF/server rules blocking the plugin path and rate-limit admin endpoints.
• Keep WordPress core, themes and plugins updated. Remove unused plugins.
• Enforce strong administrator passwords and 2FA. Disable file editing from the dashboard: define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true);
• Maintain and test backups, and store immutable copies off-site.
• Retain webserver logs and configure alerts for suspicious activity (plugin path access, new admin users).

Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) to look for

• Requests to /wp-content/plugins/dmca-badge/
• Unexpected POSTs to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or /wp-admin/admin-post.php with unusual action parameters
• New admin accounts created after suspicious requests
• Recently modified files in the plugin directory with timestamps not matching legitimate updates
• Encoded payloads in POST bodies (base64, eval, gzuncompress patterns)

IoCs will evolve as researchers and responders learn more — monitor official advisories and trusted security sources for updates.

Frequently asked questions (expert answers)

Q: Is my site definitely compromised if this plugin is installed?

A: No — presence of the plugin does not equal compromise. But because the vulnerability allows unauthenticated actions, treat the plugin as an active attack surface and take immediate protective steps.

Q: Can I keep the plugin active if I block the plugin directory via .htaccess?

A: Blocking the plugin directory can prevent exploitation but may break functionality (badges, front-end assets). If the plugin needs front-end access, blocking may not be viable. Where possible remove the plugin until it is patched.

Q: My site is behind a host firewall. Am I safe?

A: It depends. Host-level firewalls may not provide application-layer signatures needed to block exploitation of plugin logic. A WAF or carefully crafted server rules are more effective at blocking malicious HTTP requests targeting plugin endpoints.

Q: Should I immediately remove the plugin if it’s listed as vulnerable?

A: If you do not depend on the plugin, yes — remove it. If you need its functionality, at minimum harden and virtual‑patch the site and closely monitor for suspicious activity until a proper fix is released.

How to verify cleanup and confirm remediation

1. Confirm the vulnerable plugin is removed or updated to a patched version.
2. Re-scan files for malware and unexpected PHP files.
3. Validate the database — no unauthorized administrators or unexpected scheduled jobs.
4. Restore from a trusted backup if file integrity cannot be guaranteed.
5. Monitor logs and alerts for at least 30 days after remediation for attempted exploitation.

Practical timeline

1. Immediately: check for plugin and version. If present and unpatched → deactivate/delete or virtual patch with WAF.
2. Within 24 hours: review logs for suspicious activity; snapshot current state and preserve logs.
3. Within 72 hours: run a thorough malware scan and integrity check; rotate admin credentials if there are concerning indicators.
4. Within a week: apply vendor patches, replace plugin if needed, and lock down admin access (2FA, IP allowlisting).
5. Ongoing: maintain monitoring, backups and patching processes.

Final practical checklist — what I would do if it were my client

1. Confirm whether DMCA Protection Badge is installed. If yes and version ≤ 2.2.0: deactivate it across environments.
2. Apply WAF or server rules to block plugin paths and suspicious admin calls; use temporary virtual patching if available.
3. Run a full scan for evidence of compromise and remediate any findings.
4. Keep a tight change window for updates and document all changes.
5. If you manage many sites, automate detection for the vulnerable plugin and push protective rules globally until all instances are patched or removed.

Broken access control may appear to only affect plugin settings, but any unauthorized change is a foothold attackers can use for persistence. Fast detection and layered mitigation — WAF/server rules + scanning + hardening — prevent these issues from becoming breaches.

If you need a copy of example NGINX/Apache rules or a short incident playbook tailored to your hosting environment, I can prepare those on request.