CVE-2024-12296 in Apus Framework Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/12/2025
The Apus Framework plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data that can lead to privilege escalation due to a missing capability check on the 'import_page_options' function in all versions up to, and including, 2.3. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to update arbitrary options on the WordPress site. This can be leveraged to update the default role for registration to administrator and enable user registration for attackers to gain administrative user access to a vulnerable site.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/12/2025
The Apus Framework plugin for WordPress presents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability through the absence of proper capability checks within its import_page_options function. This flaw affects all versions up to and including 2.3, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations that utilize this plugin. The vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization controls that allow authenticated users to manipulate core WordPress configuration settings without proper administrative privileges. Attackers with subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this weakness to modify critical site options, fundamentally undermining the security model of WordPress and its role-based access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the missing capability verification within the import_page_options function, which operates without checking whether the requesting user possesses sufficient privileges to modify the targeted options. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in the plugin's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically enables attackers to modify WordPress core settings that govern user registration and role assignment, creating a pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation. According to CWE-284, this constitutes an improper access control issue where insufficient checks allow unauthorized modifications to protected resources. The flaw operates at the application level within WordPress's plugin architecture, bypassing the standard administrative safeguards that should prevent non-administrative users from altering critical configuration parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification to encompass full administrative compromise of affected WordPress sites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to elevate their privileges by changing the default role for new user registrations from subscriber to administrator, effectively creating backdoor accounts that can be used to maintain persistent access. This particular attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which describes valid accounts as a means of gaining access, but in this case the accounts are created through configuration manipulation rather than legitimate access. The vulnerability allows for the enabling of user registration, which when combined with the ability to set default administrator roles creates a complete attack chain for privilege escalation. The impact is particularly severe because it requires minimal user privileges to exploit and can be executed silently without raising immediate detection flags.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary solution involves upgrading to a patched version of the Apus Framework plugin where the missing capability checks have been implemented. Security administrators should also conduct immediate vulnerability assessments to identify any exploitation attempts and monitor for unauthorized changes to user registration settings. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation, monitoring for unusual configuration changes, and ensuring that only necessary plugins are installed on production WordPress sites. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and capability checking within WordPress plugins, reinforcing the need for comprehensive security reviews of third-party software before deployment. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely updates of vulnerable components and establish monitoring procedures that can detect unauthorized configuration changes to critical WordPress settings.