CVE-2024-8420

CVE-2024-8420: DHVC Form Plugin Privilege Escalation Remediation/Mitigation Strategy

This document outlines the remediation and mitigation strategy for CVE-2024-8420, a critical vulnerability found in the DHVC Form plugin for WordPress.

1. Vulnerability Description:

  • CVE ID: CVE-2024-8420
  • Plugin: DHVC Form
  • Affected Versions: All versions up to and including 2.4.7
  • Description: The DHVC Form plugin is vulnerable to privilege escalation. The plugin improperly allows users to specify the ‘role’ field during registration. An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability to register as an administrator on vulnerable WordPress sites. This is due to the lack of proper validation and sanitization of user-supplied input during the registration process. By submitting a registration form with a specially crafted ‘role’ field (e.g., “administrator”), an attacker can bypass intended access controls and gain administrative privileges.

2. Severity:

  • CVSS Score: 9.8 (Critical)
  • Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
  • Impact: Successful exploitation allows an attacker to gain complete control of the WordPress website. This includes the ability to:
    • Modify website content
    • Install malicious plugins and themes
    • Access sensitive data (user information, database contents, etc.)
    • Delete or corrupt website data
    • Compromise other systems connected to the WordPress site.

3. Known Exploits:

  • Publicly Known Exploits: Yes, the vulnerability details and exploit techniques are likely to become public given the critical severity and the simple nature of the vulnerability. Automated exploit scripts are likely to be developed and deployed rapidly.

4. Remediation Strategy:

The primary remediation is to update the DHVC Form plugin to the latest version. If an update is not yet available, apply the following mitigation until an update is released.

  • Immediate Action: Upgrade the DHVC Form plugin to the latest available version.
    • Log in to your WordPress administration panel.
    • Navigate to Plugins -> Installed Plugins.
    • Locate the “DHVC Form” plugin.
    • If an update is available, click “Update Now”.
  • If no update is available and you require the DHVC Form plugin:
    • Disable the plugin. Disabling the plugin will prevent exploitation of the vulnerability until a patched version is released.
    • Navigate to Plugins -> Installed Plugins.
    • Locate the “DHVC Form” plugin.
    • Click “Deactivate”.
  • If no update is available and you do not require the DHVC Form plugin:
    • Delete the plugin. Deleting the plugin removes the vulnerable code from your WordPress installation.
    • Navigate to Plugins -> Installed Plugins.
    • Locate the “DHVC Form” plugin.
    • Click “Deactivate”.
    • Once deactivated, a “Delete” link will appear. Click “Delete” and confirm the deletion.

5. Mitigation Strategy:

If immediately updating or disabling the plugin is not feasible, implement the following mitigation measures to reduce the risk of exploitation. These are temporary solutions and should be replaced with the proper remediation as soon as possible.

  • Disable New User Registration (if possible): If your website doesn’t require public user registration, disable it temporarily. This will prevent attackers from exploiting the vulnerability to create new administrator accounts.
    • Navigate to Settings -> General.
    • Uncheck the box next to “Anyone can register”.
    • Click “Save Changes”.
  • Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule (advanced): A WAF can be configured to block requests that attempt to manipulate the ‘role’ field during registration. This requires technical expertise and careful configuration to avoid false positives. Contact your WAF vendor for specific instructions on creating such a rule. A sample (generic) rule might look for the string “role=administrator” in POST requests to the registration endpoint. Note: WAF rules are not foolproof and may be bypassed.
  • Monitor User Registrations: Closely monitor new user registrations for suspicious activity. Look for accounts with unusual usernames or those assigned administrator roles unexpectedly.
  • Review Existing User Accounts: Thoroughly review your existing user accounts for any unauthorized administrator accounts that may have already been created. Remove any suspicious or unrecognized administrator accounts.
  • Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enabling 2FA for all administrator accounts adds an extra layer of security, making it more difficult for attackers to gain access even if they manage to compromise an account.
  • Implement Rate Limiting: Rate limiting can prevent attackers from rapidly submitting registration forms in an attempt to exploit the vulnerability. This is typically configured at the server level or through a WAF.

6. Long-Term Prevention:

  • Regularly Update Plugins and Themes: Keep all plugins and themes updated to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities.
  • Vulnerability Scanning: Implement a vulnerability scanning solution to identify potential vulnerabilities in your WordPress installation before they can be exploited. Wordfence and similar tools can help with this.
  • Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits of your WordPress website to identify and address potential security weaknesses.
  • Principle of Least Privilege: Assign users only the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks. Avoid granting administrator privileges unless absolutely necessary.

7. Communication:

  • Keep stakeholders (website owners, administrators, users) informed about the vulnerability and the steps being taken to address it.
  • Provide clear instructions on how users can protect their accounts.

8. Reassessment:

  • After implementing the remediation and mitigation measures, reassess the security posture of the WordPress website to ensure that the vulnerability has been effectively addressed.
  • Monitor the situation for any signs of exploitation and adjust the security measures as necessary.
  • Once the official DHVC Form plugin update is released, apply it immediately and verify that it resolves the vulnerability. Remove any temporary mitigations after the update is applied.

Assigner

Date

  • Published Date: 2025-02-28 08:23:19
  • Updated Date: 2025-02-28 09:15:11

More Details

CVE-2024-8420