Plugin Name	Whydonate
Type of Vulnerability	Access control vulnerability
CVE Number	CVE-2025-10186
Urgency	Low
CVE Publish Date	2026-02-09
Source URL	CVE-2025-10186

Critical Access Control Flaw in Whydonate Plugin (≤ 4.0.15): Essential Guidance for WordPress Site Owners

On February 9, 2026, a significant access control vulnerability was disclosed impacting the popular Whydonate WordPress plugin versions 4.0.15 and earlier (identified as CVE-2025-10186). This flaw permits unauthenticated attackers to invoke a deletion routine associated with the plugin’s styling and asset handler through an exposed action (wp_wdplugin_style_rww), due to missing authorization and nonce verification. The vendor promptly addressed the issue in Whydonate version 4.0.16.

This advisory, issued with the expertise of Managed-WP’s security team, breaks down the nature of the vulnerability, evaluates the risk it poses to WordPress site owners, and provides actionable recommendations for detection, immediate mitigation, and long-term hardening strategies. Managed-WP’s approach to managed Web Application Firewall (WAF) protections underpins many of the containment methods described herein.

Attention: Operators running Whydonate are strongly urged to upgrade to version 4.0.16 without delay. If upgrading immediately is not feasible, apply the recommended mitigations provided below to reduce exposure.

---

Executive Summary (TL;DR)

• A broken access control vulnerability in Whydonate (≤ 4.0.15) allows unauthenticated HTTP requests to trigger deletion of style and asset data managed by the plugin via a publicly exposed AJAX action.
• CVE Reference: CVE-2025-10186 — fixed in version 4.0.16.
• Risk Score (CVSS): 5.3, classified as medium/low depending on the site context. The primary impact is integrity loss without significant confidentiality or availability implications.
• Recommended Immediate Actions: Update the plugin promptly. If not possible, block or virtual patch the vulnerable action on your WAF, restrict or monitor access to admin-ajax.php, and implement enhanced logging and backups.
• If exploitation is suspected, isolate the environment, preserve logs, conduct malware and integrity scans, and restore from trusted backups if required.

---

Understanding Broken Access Control in This Case

Broken access control implies that the plugin executes privileged operations without validating whether the requester is authorized. Secure implementations include capability checks such as current_user_can(), nonce verifications to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), and limitation to authenticated users with sufficient privileges.

In affected Whydonate versions, the AJAX action wp_wdplugin_style_rww was callable without nonce or capability checks, enabling any external unauthenticated entity to invoke a deletion routine affecting styling and asset records.

---

Why This Matters: Real-World Risks

Though the flaw targets a plugin-specific deletion routine, its consequences are notable:

• Removal of style entries disrupts donation forms and widgets, impairing site appearance and user experience.
• Potential for attackers to combine this action with other vulnerabilities or plugin behaviors, creating compound threats.
• Repeated exploitation can cause persistent site instability and distract incident response efforts.
• Donation-dependent businesses may face revenue loss and trust erosion during the vulnerability window.

While direct user data exposure is minimal, the flaw’s remote exploitation without authentication and alteration of site state justifies prompt action.

---

Attack Surface and Exploitation Path

• Endpoint: Typically the WordPress AJAX handler admin-ajax.php.
• Method: HTTP GET or POST requests containing action=wp_wdplugin_style_rww.
• Lack of Checks: No nonce verification, no capability validation, no authentication requirement.
• Impact: Execution of deletion handler removing style/asset data linked to the plugin.

For security reasons, publicly share no exploit code; the purpose is containment and defense.

---

Detection: Indicators to Monitor

Sites running Whydonate ≤ 4.0.15 should audit logs and behavior for:

1. Suspicious admin-ajax.php requests with action=wp_wdplugin_style_rww, especially from unknown IP addresses without authenticated WordPress sessions.
2. A high frequency of such requests, indicating automated scanning or exploitation attempts.
3. Visible damage to plugin styling on front-end pages or missing widget assets.
4. Database anomalies such as missing plugin style data.
5. User complaints regarding broken donation forms or UI glitches.

Log query examples:

• Search web server logs for calls to admin-ajax.php?action=wp_wdplugin_style_rww.
• Monitor for unusual HTTP 200/500 response patterns corresponding to those requests in WordPress access/error logs.

---

Immediate Remediation: Step-by-Step for Site Owners

1. Update the Plugin: Upgrade Whydonate to 4.0.16 or later for full remediation.
2. If Updating is Delayed: Temporarily deactivate Whydonate or implement WAF virtual patching to block the vulnerable action.
3. Backup: Take complete backups of site files and databases before applying changes.
4. Scan for Compromise: Conduct malware scans and file integrity checks to detect possible exploitation.
5. Credential Rotation: Change administrator passwords and API keys linked to donation processing.
6. Monitoring: Enable detailed logging on AJAX endpoints and alert on suspicious activity.
7. Stakeholder Communication: Notify relevant internal parties and donors if donation pages were disrupted.

---

Managed-WP WAF Mitigation Strategies

Managed-WP clients benefit from our proactive WAF rules and can immediately apply:

• Virtual patching to block requests with action=wp_wdplugin_style_rww from unauthenticated sources.
• Rate limiting and behavioral anomaly detection to prevent brute force or reconnaissance.
• Request pattern blocking with validation for WordPress auth cookies or nonces.
• Real-time monitoring and alerts for administrative AJAX activity.

These controls provide robust interim protection while sites transition to updated plugin versions.

---

Conceptual Example: Defensive WAF Rule

Below is a sample rule concept for Apache ModSecurity to block unauthenticated malicious calls:

# Deny unauthenticated requests exploiting Whydonate vulnerable action
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains admin-ajax.php" 
  "phase:1,deny,log,status:403,
   msg:'Blocked unauthorized wp_wdplugin_style_rww action',
   chain"
  SecRule ARGS:action "@streq wp_wdplugin_style_rww" 
    "chain"
  SecRule &REQUEST_HEADERS:Cookie "@eq 0" 
    "id:1001001,rev:1,severity:2"

Note: Adapt this for your environment, and always test first on staging to avoid breaking legitimate functionality.

---

Recommended Long-Term Hardening

1. Keep WordPress Core, Plugins, and Themes Updated: Regular updates close security gaps like missing authorization checks.
2. Minimize Plugin Use: Remove unused plugins to shrink your attack surface.
3. Enforce Principle of Least Privilege: Limit administrator roles and use service accounts with minimal permissions.
4. Validate Custom AJAX Actions Rigorously: Use nonces and capability checks for all custom admin AJAX handlers.
5. Restrict Access to admin-ajax.php Where Possible: Limit to authenticated users or through WAF policies.
6. Harden File System Permissions: Disable file editing and restrict write access appropriately.
7. Maintain Fresh Backups: Ensure backups are tested and restorations verified.
8. Centralize Logging and Alerting: Monitor all admin-ajax activity and plugin-specific events.
9. Use Staging Environments: Always test updates before production rollouts.
10. Perform Plugin Security Vetting: Evaluate plugins for update responsiveness and security track record.

---

Incident Response: If Exploitation is Suspected

1. Isolate the Site: Disable the vulnerable plugin and consider maintenance mode.
2. Preserve Evidence: Collect logs, database snapshots, and file images for investigation.
3. Contain Threats: Block offending IPs, apply WAF rules, and restrict access where necessary.
4. Investigate Thoroughly: Check for unauthorized admin activity and missing plugin data.
5. Remediate: Restore from backups and update all software components.
6. Eradicate Persistence: Remove backdoors, rogue users, or scheduled tasks left by attackers.
7. Recover: Re-enable services only after confirming integrity.
8. Review: Document the incident timeline and lessons learned.

Managed-WP customers can leverage our forensic support and rapid remediation assistance to accelerate recovery.

---

Verification Post-Update

• Confirm Whydonate plugin is updated to 4.0.16 via WordPress admin dashboard.
• Test the vulnerability endpoint in a controlled environment to verify nonce and capability checks are enforced.
• Ensure normal plugin operations continue uninterrupted for authenticated users.
• Monitor logs for continued attack attempts; they may persist but should not succeed.
• Confirm WAF rules are active and blocking unauthenticated attempts where applicable.

---

Why Managed WAF and Security Services Matter During Vulnerability Disclosures

Attackers quickly scan for new plugin vulnerabilities after disclosures. Managed-WP offers:

• Virtual patching to mitigate risks before patching.
• Updated rulesets curated by security professionals protecting against known exploit signatures.
• Rate limiting and IP reputation services reducing automated exploit traffic.
• Real-time alerting for rapid detection and response.

Virtual patching is an effective stopgap and should complement, never replace, timely plugin updates.

---

Communication Tips for Stakeholders and Donors

• Clarify the issue stemmed from a plugin security flaw now fixed.
• Assure no donor personal or payment information was exposed, verified with payment processors.
• Detail the remediation and protection steps undertaken.
• Reinforce ongoing commitment to site security and donor trust.

Coordinate messaging with legal and compliance teams if donor data might have been implicated.

---

Long-Term Plugin Risk Reduction Practices

• Conduct plugin security evaluations before installing or upgrading.
• Subscribe to vulnerability notification services for your plugins.
• Implement staged update rollouts with rollback contingencies.
• Consider periodic security audits of business-critical plugins.

---

Try Managed-WP’s Free Security Plan—Immediate Protection for Donation Sites

Donation and fundraising sites demand high availability and trustworthiness. Managed-WP’s Basic Free Plan offers essential protections instantly:

• Managed firewall with WAF signatures
• Automated malware scanning
• Mitigation for OWASP Top 10 risks
• Unlimited bandwidth and essential blocking capabilities

Sign up at https://managed-wp.com/pricing for instant baseline security as you prioritize plugin updates and site hardening.

---

Summary Checklist: Immediate Actions

• Upgrade Whydonate to 4.0.16 now.
• If unable to update immediately, disable the plugin or apply WAF rules blocking action=wp_wdplugin_style_rww.
• Backup site files and databases before changes.
• Scan for malware and check logs for signs of exploitation.
• Rotate admin credentials and API keys.
• Implement long-term hardening measures, including controlled admin access and plugin vetting.
• Consult WordPress security specialists when compromise is suspected.

---

If you need expert assistance with WAF rule application, forensic investigation, or recovery, Managed-WP’s security engineers are ready to help. Our managed services offer continuous monitoring and virtual patching to minimize risk during plugin vulnerability disclosures. Protect your WordPress site with Managed-WP’s solutions today.

Your security is our priority — stay vigilant and treat plugin updates and vulnerability alerts as critical to public-facing donation site safety.

---

Take Proactive Action — Secure Your Site with Managed-WP

Don’t risk your business or reputation due to overlooked plugin flaws or weak permissions. Managed-WP provides robust Web Application Firewall (WAF) protection, tailored vulnerability response, and hands-on remediation for WordPress security that goes far beyond standard hosting services.

Exclusive Offer for Blog Readers: Access our MWPv1r1 protection plan — industry-grade security starting from just USD20/month.

• Automated virtual patching and advanced role-based traffic filtering
• Personalized onboarding and step-by-step site security checklist
• Real-time monitoring, incident alerts, and priority remediation support
• Actionable best-practice guides for secrets management and role hardening

Get Started Easily — Secure Your Site for USD20/month:
Protect My Site with Managed-WP MWPv1r1 Plan

Why trust Managed-WP?

• Immediate coverage against newly discovered plugin and theme vulnerabilities
• Custom WAF rules and instant virtual patching for high-risk scenarios
• Concierge onboarding, expert remediation, and best-practice advice whenever you need it

Don’t wait for the next security breach. Safeguard your WordPress site and reputation with Managed-WP — the choice for businesses serious about security.

Click above to start your protection today (MWPv1r1 plan, USD20/month).