dbcve.org
Missing AuthorizationWeakness · CWE-862

CVE-2026-25315

MEDIUM · 5.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-02-19
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
62/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Missing Authorization vulnerability in hcaptcha hCaptcha for WP hcaptcha-for-forms-and-more allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects hCaptcha for WP: from n/a through <= 4.21.1.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

This is a missing authorization vulnerability in the hCaptcha for WordPress plugin (hcaptcha-for-forms-and-more). The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels, likely enabling unauthenticated or unauthorized users to access functionality that should be restricted to authorized users. The issue affects all versions up to and including 4.21.1.

MitigationUpdate the hCaptcha for WP plugin to a version beyond 4.21.1 once a patch is available, and review access control configurations on WordPress admin panels and AJAX endpoints.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Verify hCaptcha plugin is installed and active
    In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and confirm 'hCaptcha for Forms and More' (hcaptcha-for-forms-and-more) is present and activated. Alternatively, check for the plugin directory at /wp-content/plugins/hcaptcha-for-forms-and-more/ and verify it contains active plugin files.
    Affected if The plugin is installed and activated in WordPress, enabling any associated vulnerable endpoints or functionality.
  2. Identify installed plugin version
    In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and locate hCaptcha for Forms and More. The version number is displayed below the plugin name. Alternatively, open the main plugin file (e.g., /wp-content/plugins/hcaptcha-for-forms-and-more/hcaptcha.php) and search for 'Version:' in the file header comment.
    Affected if The installed version is 4.21.1 or lower, placing it within the affected version range.
  3. Review AJAX endpoint access controls
    Inspect the plugin directory for AJAX handlers - typically files containing 'wp_ajax_' or 'wp_ajax_nopriv_' hooks. Check the callback functions for missing capability checks (like current_user_can()) or nonce validation before processing requests. Common locations include /includes/ajax.php or similar handler files within the plugin.
    Affected if AJAX endpoints exist that handle sensitive operations without proper authorization checks (missing current_user_can() or nonce verification for non-privileged users).
  4. Audit WordPress admin panel access configurations
    Examine the plugin admin menu registration and handler functions in the plugin code. Look for admin pages that may lack proper capability checks (e.g., missing 'manage_options' or 'activate_plugins' verifications) before granting access or performing administrative actions.
    Affected if Admin functions or pages can be accessed or triggered by users lacking proper WordPress capabilities/roles.

A user is affected if the hCaptcha for WordPress plugin versions 4.21.1 or lower are installed and active, with AJAX endpoints or admin functions lacking proper authorization checks accessible to unauthorized users.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update the hCaptcha for WP plugin to a version beyond 4.21.1 once a patch is available, and review access control configurations on WordPress admin panels and AJAX endpoints.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,930
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2026-25315 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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