AI Threat AlertCVE-2025-14486: PixelPlay WP: missing auth lets attackers delete API keys
MEDIUMPixelPlay, a WordPress plugin that integrates image providers and OpenAI, has a missing authorization check (CWE-862) in versions up to 1.0.2 that lets an unauthenticated attacker delete stored API keys (Pixabay, Unsplash, Pixels, OpenAI) through the 'clear_api_type' parameter. The impact is limited to integrity: keys are deleted rather than disclosed, so no credential theft occurs, and the CVSS of 5.3 reflects that. Exploitation is trivial and needs no authentication, but there is no public exploit, no Nuclei template, no CISA KEV listing and a CISA SSVC decision of TRACK. The EPSS score of 0.0023 still places it in the top 87th percentile, so opportunistic scanning of WordPress plugins is plausible. Organizations running PixelPlay should remove or disable the plugin, or restrict access to the vulnerable endpoint at the WAF, until the vendor ships a fixed release. They should also confirm that AI-dependent site features are still working and that the OpenAI key is intact.
What is the risk?
Medium risk. Exploitation is network-based, low complexity, and needs no privileges or user interaction, but the impact is limited to integrity (deleting configured API keys). There is no confidentiality or availability impact in the CVSS vector. Exposure is limited to WordPress sites running PixelPlay <= 1.0.2. Package risk data is unavailable and the dependent count is unknown. No active exploitation, KEV listing or public exploit is known, and EPSS is low in absolute terms (0.0023) despite the high percentile.
How does the attack unfold?
How severe is it?
What is the attack surface?
What should I do?
1 step1) Check the vendor (Envato item) and Wordfence advisory for a patched version above 1.0.2 and upgrade as soon as it is available. 2) Until then, deactivate and remove the PixelPlay plugin if it is not essential. 3) Add a WAF rule that blocks unauthenticated requests carrying the 'clear_api_type' parameter, for example to admin-ajax.php or the plugin's endpoints. 4) Review web server and WordPress logs for unauthenticated requests containing 'clear_api_type'. 5) Verify that the Pixabay, Unsplash, Pixels and OpenAI keys are still configured, and re-enter them if they were deleted. 6) Use scoped, low-privilege and spend-limited API keys with provider-side usage alerts. 7) Run Wordfence or a similar WordPress vulnerability scanner to inventory affected sites.
What does CISA's SSVC say?
Source: CISA Vulnrichment (SSVC v2.0). Decision based on the CISA Coordinator decision tree.
How is it classified?
Which compliance frameworks are affected?
This CVE is relevant to:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2025-14486?
PixelPlay, a WordPress plugin that integrates image providers and OpenAI, has a missing authorization check (CWE-862) in versions up to 1.0.2 that lets an unauthenticated attacker delete stored API keys (Pixabay, Unsplash, Pixels, OpenAI) through the 'clear_api_type' parameter. The impact is limited to integrity: keys are deleted rather than disclosed, so no credential theft occurs, and the CVSS of 5.3 reflects that. Exploitation is trivial and needs no authentication, but there is no public exploit, no Nuclei template, no CISA KEV listing and a CISA SSVC decision of TRACK. The EPSS score of 0.0023 still places it in the top 87th percentile, so opportunistic scanning of WordPress plugins is plausible. Organizations running PixelPlay should remove or disable the plugin, or restrict access to the vulnerable endpoint at the WAF, until the vendor ships a fixed release. They should also confirm that AI-dependent site features are still working and that the OpenAI key is intact.
Is CVE-2025-14486 actively exploited?
No confirmed active exploitation of CVE-2025-14486 has been reported, but organizations should still patch proactively.
How to fix CVE-2025-14486?
1) Check the vendor (Envato item) and Wordfence advisory for a patched version above 1.0.2 and upgrade as soon as it is available. 2) Until then, deactivate and remove the PixelPlay plugin if it is not essential. 3) Add a WAF rule that blocks unauthenticated requests carrying the 'clear_api_type' parameter, for example to admin-ajax.php or the plugin's endpoints. 4) Review web server and WordPress logs for unauthenticated requests containing 'clear_api_type'. 5) Verify that the Pixabay, Unsplash, Pixels and OpenAI keys are still configured, and re-enter them if they were deleted. 6) Use scoped, low-privilege and spend-limited API keys with provider-side usage alerts. 7) Run Wordfence or a similar WordPress vulnerability scanner to inventory affected sites.
What systems are affected by CVE-2025-14486?
This vulnerability affects the following AI/ML architecture patterns: WordPress AI plugins, LLM API integrations, Third-party API key management.
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2025-14486?
CVE-2025-14486 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (MEDIUM). The EPSS exploitation probability is 0.32%.
What is the AI security impact?
Affected AI Architectures
MITRE ATLAS Techniques
AML.T0049Exploit Public-Facing ApplicationAML.T0096AI Service APICompliance Controls Affected
What are the technical details?
Original Advisory
The PixelPlay plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized API key deletion due to missing authorization checks in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.2. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to delete arbitrary API keys (Pixabay, Unsplash, Pixels, OpenAI) configured by site administrators via the 'clear_api_type' parameter.
Exploitation Scenario
An attacker scans the internet for WordPress sites with the PixelPlay plugin installed. They send an unauthenticated HTTP request to the vulnerable plugin action with the 'clear_api_type' parameter set to each of the supported providers (pixabay, unsplash, pixels, openai). The plugin deletes the stored keys without checking capabilities. The site's AI-assisted image and content features stop working, which can be repeated indefinitely for a nuisance or disruption campaign, or used to degrade a competitor's content operations.
Weaknesses (CWE)
CWE-862 — Missing Authorization: The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.
- [Architecture and Design] Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) [REF-229] to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries. Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
- [Architecture and Design] Ensure that access control checks are performed related to the business logic. These checks may be different than the access control checks that are applied to more generic resources such as files, connections, processes, memory, and database records. For example, a database may restrict access for medical records to a specific database user, but each record might only be intended to be accessible to the patient and the patient's doctor [REF-7].
Source: MITRE CWE corpus.
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:NReferences
Timeline
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