CVE-2024-13446

CVE-2024-13446: Workreap WordPress Plugin - Privilege Escalation via Account Takeover

This document outlines a remediation and mitigation strategy for CVE-2024-13446, a privilege escalation vulnerability affecting the Workreap WordPress plugin.

1. Vulnerability Description:

  • Plugin: Workreap
  • Vulnerable Versions: All versions up to and including 3.2.5
  • Vulnerability Type: Privilege Escalation via Account Takeover
  • Root Cause: Insufficient validation of user identity during social auto-login and profile update functionalities. Specifically, the plugin fails to properly verify a user’s identity before (1) performing a social auto-login, and (2) allowing changes to profile details like passwords.
  • Attack Vector: Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability.
  • Attack Scenario 1 (Social Auto-Login): An attacker, knowing a target user’s email address, can leverage the flawed social auto-login process to authenticate as that user without proper credentials.
  • Attack Scenario 2 (Profile Update/Password Reset): An attacker can change the password of an arbitrary user (including administrator accounts) if they know the user’s email address, effectively taking over the target account.

2. Severity:

  • CVSS Score: 9.8 (Critical)
  • Severity Level: Critical
  • Impact: Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to gain complete control of affected WordPress sites. This includes the ability to:
    • Modify website content.
    • Install malicious plugins or themes.
    • Steal sensitive data.
    • Compromise user data.
    • Create new administrative accounts.
    • Deny access to legitimate users.
    • Further compromise the server infrastructure.

3. Known Exploits:

  • Based on the vulnerability description, successful exploits are highly likely. The low complexity and requirement for knowing only the email address significantly increase the risk of exploitation. Public proof-of-concept exploits might be available or could be easily developed. The partially fixed 3.2.5 version indicates awareness and likelihood of exploit research.

4. Remediation and Mitigation Strategy:

4.1 Immediate Actions (within 24-48 hours):

  • Upgrade Workreap Plugin: The most critical step is to immediately upgrade the Workreap plugin to the latest version available. This includes versions beyond 3.2.5 that contain the complete fix. Verify in the plugin changelog that it addresses CVE-2024-13446 or security vulnerabilities related to user authentication and password resets.
  • Disable Social Auto-Login (if feasible): If upgrading immediately is not possible, temporarily disable the social auto-login feature of the Workreap plugin. This will mitigate the risk associated with attack scenario 1.
  • Monitor WordPress Logs: Closely monitor WordPress logs (especially authentication and user profile modification logs) for any suspicious activity, such as:
    • Unexpected password changes.
    • Login attempts from unusual IP addresses.
    • Creation of new user accounts with administrative privileges.
  • Inform Users: Notify users of potential phishing attempts targeting their credentials, especially those associated with social login accounts. Remind users to use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication (if available on your WordPress setup).
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF) Rules (if applicable): If you have a WAF, attempt to create or update rules to block requests that attempt to exploit this vulnerability. This is a temporary measure and should not be considered a replacement for upgrading the plugin. Look for patterns related to password reset endpoints and social login authentication flows within the Workreap plugin.

4.2 Medium-Term Actions (within 1 week):

  • Review User Accounts: Thoroughly review all WordPress user accounts, paying close attention to administrator and other privileged roles. Look for any unauthorized or suspicious accounts.
  • Force Password Resets: Consider forcing a password reset for all users (especially administrators) as a precautionary measure, even after upgrading the plugin. Communicate this to users clearly and provide instructions on how to reset their passwords.
  • Implement Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable two-factor authentication for all privileged user accounts. This will significantly reduce the risk of account takeover even if an attacker obtains a user’s password.
  • Vulnerability Scanning: Run a comprehensive vulnerability scan on your WordPress site using a reputable scanning tool (e.g., Wordfence, Sucuri SiteCheck, WPScan). Confirm that the scan identifies CVE-2024-13446 and verifies that the issue is resolved after the upgrade.

4.3 Long-Term Actions (ongoing):

  • Maintain Up-to-Date WordPress Core, Themes, and Plugins: Establish a regular schedule for updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins to the latest versions. Enable automatic updates for minor versions of WordPress.
  • Vulnerability Monitoring: Continuously monitor for new vulnerabilities affecting your WordPress site and its components. Subscribe to security mailing lists and utilize vulnerability scanning tools.
  • Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits of your WordPress site to identify and address potential weaknesses.
  • Principle of Least Privilege: Adhere to the principle of least privilege by assigning users only the minimum level of access they need to perform their tasks.
  • Security Awareness Training: Provide security awareness training to all users to educate them about common threats and best practices for protecting their accounts.

5. Rollback Plan:

  • Before upgrading the Workreap plugin, create a full backup of your WordPress site (including the database and all files).
  • If any issues arise after upgrading (e.g., plugin incompatibility, website errors), restore the site to the previous backup immediately.
  • Investigate the cause of the issues and contact the Workreap plugin developer for support before attempting to upgrade again. Consider testing the update on a staging environment first.

6. Communication Plan:

  • Internal: Inform all relevant team members (e.g., IT, security, website administrators) about the vulnerability and the remediation steps being taken.
  • External: Notify users about potential risks and necessary actions (e.g., password resets, enabling 2FA) in a clear and timely manner.

This remediation strategy is a general guideline and should be adapted to the specific needs and environment of your WordPress site. Consult with security professionals for further assistance.

Assigner

Date

  • Published Date: 2025-03-12 10:15:15
  • Updated Date: 2025-03-12 10:15:15

More Details

CVE-2024-13446