CVE-2024-3553 in Tutor LMS Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/02/2024
The Tutor LMS – eLearning and online course solution plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the hide_notices function in all versions up to, and including, 2.6.2. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to enable user registration on sites that may have it disabled.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3553 affects the Tutor LMS plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 2.6.2. This plugin serves as a comprehensive eLearning solution that enables website administrators to create and manage online courses, making it a critical component for educational platforms. The flaw resides within the hide_notices function which lacks proper capability validation, creating a significant security gap that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability represents a classic authorization bypass issue that undermines the integrity of the plugin's administrative controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of capability checks within the hide_notices function, which is designed to manage user interface notifications and administrative settings. When an attacker exploits this weakness, they can manipulate the plugin's behavior to enable user registration on websites where this feature is intentionally disabled. This occurs because the function does not verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative privileges before executing the modification. The flaw essentially allows unauthenticated attackers to perform administrative actions that should require proper authentication and authorization, directly violating fundamental security principles of access control mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of WordPress sites using the affected plugin. When user registration is enabled on a site where it was previously disabled, attackers gain the ability to create new user accounts, potentially leading to further exploitation opportunities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it does not require authentication, making it accessible to anyone who can interact with the plugin's interface, potentially leading to unauthorized account creation and subsequent compromise of the entire platform.
Organizations using the Tutor LMS plugin should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability, beginning with updating to the latest available version where the capability check has been implemented. System administrators should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify any unauthorized changes that may have occurred while the vulnerability was active. The remediation process should include reviewing user permissions and monitoring for suspicious registration patterns. Security teams should consider implementing network-level controls to restrict access to plugin endpoints and establish monitoring for unusual administrative activities. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper capability validation in web applications and highlights the need for regular security audits of third-party plugins. The issue also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation, as unauthorized modification of plugin settings can lead to broader system compromise. Organizations should also review their WordPress security configurations and ensure that all plugins undergo regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into their environments.