CVE-2024-0385 in Categorify Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/13/2024
The Categorify plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the categorifyAjaxAddCategory function in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.7.4. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to add categories.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-0385 affects the Categorify plugin for WordPress, representing a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security model of the content management system. This issue stems from an insufficient capability verification mechanism within the plugin's codebase, specifically impacting the categorifyAjaxAddCategory function that handles category creation operations through asynchronous requests. The flaw exists across all versions of the plugin up to and including version 1.0.7.4, making it a widespread concern for WordPress installations that utilize this particular plugin. The vulnerability's nature allows for privilege escalation through unauthorized data modification, creating a significant risk for sites where user access control is paramount to maintaining content integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a clear failure in access control validation within the plugin's AJAX handling mechanism. The categorifyAjaxAddCategory function lacks proper capability checks that should verify whether the requesting user possesses sufficient permissions to perform category addition operations. This absence of authorization validation creates a pathway for authenticated attackers who have achieved subscriber-level access or higher to bypass normal WordPress permission controls. The flaw operates at the application logic level, where the plugin fails to enforce the standard WordPress capability requirements that typically restrict category management to users with appropriate roles such as editors or administrators. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a classic security misconfiguration that can be exploited through social engineering or compromised accounts.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for WordPress sites that rely on the Categorify plugin, particularly those with multiple user roles or sites that have been compromised by attackers who have gained subscriber-level access. An attacker with subscriber privileges could manipulate the site's categorization structure, potentially leading to content reorganization that affects site navigation, SEO performance, and user experience. The unauthorized addition of categories can also be used as a vector for more sophisticated attacks, such as creating malicious category structures that might be used to hide inappropriate content or manipulate site behavior. This vulnerability directly impacts the integrity of the WordPress site's data management system and could potentially serve as a stepping stone for further exploitation, as attackers might use the modified category structure to establish persistence or redirect traffic.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-863, which describes "Incorrect Authorization," and represents a failure to properly enforce access controls within the application. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this issue maps to the privilege escalation and persistence techniques where an attacker leverages a weakness in application logic to gain expanded capabilities. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of the Categorify plugin to version 1.0.7.5 or later, which should include proper capability checks in the categorifyAjaxAddCategory function. Additionally, site administrators should conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations, review user permissions, and implement monitoring for unusual category creation activities. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as web application firewalls and regular security scanning to detect similar authorization flaws in other plugins or themes that might be present in their WordPress environments. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content or administrative functions.