CVE-2024-11465 in Custom Product Tabs for WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/07/2025
The Custom Product Tabs for WooCommerce plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection in all versions up to, and including, 1.8.5 via deserialization of untrusted input in the 'yikes_woo_products_tabs' post meta parameter. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Shop Manager-level access and above, to inject a PHP Object. No known POP chain is present in the vulnerable software. If a POP chain is present via an additional plugin or theme installed on the target system, it could allow the attacker to delete arbitrary files, retrieve sensitive data, or execute code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2025
The Custom Product Tabs for WooCommerce plugin presents a critical security vulnerability classified as PHP Object Injection in versions up to and including 1.8.5. This flaw exists within the plugin's handling of user-supplied data through the 'yikes_woo_products_tabs' post meta parameter, which processes untrusted input without proper sanitization or validation. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the deserialization process where PHP objects are reconstructed from serialized data, creating an avenue for malicious code execution when attacker-controlled data is processed. The issue affects authenticated attackers who possess Shop Manager-level privileges or higher, making it particularly concerning for e-commerce environments where administrative access may be compromised.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-502 which describes the weakness of deserializing untrusted data, a well-documented pattern that has been exploited in numerous high-profile attacks across the web application landscape. The attack vector requires an authenticated user with sufficient permissions to manipulate post meta data, which represents a significant operational risk since Shop Manager roles typically have broad administrative capabilities within WooCommerce installations. The vulnerability does not contain a pre-built chain of method calls that would enable immediate code execution, but it creates a potential exploitation pathway that could be leveraged in combination with other vulnerable components within the same system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it provides attackers with potential access to arbitrary file deletion capabilities, sensitive data retrieval, and code execution on the target system. This represents a serious escalation from a simple injection flaw to a potential system compromise, particularly when considering that WooCommerce installations often contain sensitive customer information, payment data, and business-critical operational details. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to gain persistent access to the system, making it a prime target for advanced persistent threats. The risk is amplified by the fact that many WordPress installations operate with default configurations that may not include additional security layers to prevent such attacks from escalating beyond their initial exploitation point.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of the plugin where the vulnerability has been addressed, implementing additional input validation and sanitization measures, and considering the deployment of Web Application Firewalls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual post meta data modifications and unauthorized access patterns. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of the principle of least privilege, ensuring that administrative accounts have minimal necessary permissions and that regular security audits are conducted to identify potential attack vectors. Additionally, implementing proper code review processes and automated security scanning tools can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future development cycles. The absence of a known POP chain in this specific vulnerability does not diminish its severity, as it represents a foundational security flaw that could be exploited in combination with other system weaknesses to achieve more serious outcomes.