CVE-2024-11848 in NitroPack Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/15/2025
The NitroPack plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the 'nitropack_dismiss_notice_forever' AJAX action in all versions up to, and including, 1.17.0. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level access and above, to update arbitrary options to a fixed value of '1' which can activate certain options (e.g., enable user registration) or modify certain options in a way that leads to a denial of service condition.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2026
The NitroPack WordPress plugin vulnerability represents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security model of the platform. This weakness exists within the plugin's AJAX handling mechanism where the 'nitropack_dismiss_notice_forever' action lacks proper capability validation. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.17.0, creating a persistent risk for WordPress installations that rely on this plugin for performance optimization. Attackers exploiting this flaw can manipulate core system configurations through authenticated sessions, leveraging their subscriber-level privileges to execute unauthorized modifications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and privilege enforcement within the plugin's backend processing. When authenticated users with subscriber-level access or higher make requests to the specific AJAX endpoint, the system fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary permissions to modify system options. This missing capability check creates a direct pathway for privilege escalation and data manipulation. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically targets WordPress's option management system, where arbitrary configuration values can be set to '1' through the compromised AJAX interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification to encompass potential system compromise and service disruption. Attackers can exploit this weakness to enable user registration capabilities, which directly violates the principle of least privilege and could lead to unauthorized account creation. Additionally, the ability to set arbitrary options to '1' creates opportunities for denial of service conditions where critical system parameters are altered in ways that disrupt normal operation. The vulnerability essentially allows attackers to modify core WordPress configuration options that control fundamental system behaviors, potentially leading to complete system compromise or service unavailability.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of insufficient authorization checks that aligns with CWE-863, which addresses the issue of "Incorrect Authorization." The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers "Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts," as attackers can leverage existing user accounts to perform unauthorized modifications. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the patched version of the NitroPack plugin, implementing role-based access controls, and monitoring for suspicious AJAX activity. Additionally, administrators should review user permissions and consider implementing additional security layers such as web application firewalls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting this specific vulnerability pattern.