CVE-2024-38770 in Backup and Staging WP Time Capsule Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/02/2024
Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in Revmakx Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule allows Privilege Escalation, Authentication Bypass.This issue affects Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule: from n/a through 1.22.20.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2024
The CVE-2024-38770 vulnerability represents a critical improper privilege management flaw within the Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule plugin, a widely used WordPress backup solution. This vulnerability manifests as a privilege escalation vector that can be exploited to bypass authentication mechanisms, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources. The issue exists in plugin versions ranging from the initial release through 1.22.20, indicating a prolonged period during which systems remained vulnerable to exploitation. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple access control bypass, as it enables attackers to elevate their privileges within the WordPress environment, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of user permissions and authentication checks within the plugin's backup and staging functionality. When users attempt to access backup or staging features, the plugin fails to properly validate user privileges, allowing unauthorized individuals to perform administrative actions typically restricted to privileged users. This flaw operates at the application level, where the plugin's code does not adequately enforce role-based access controls or implement proper authentication verification mechanisms. The vulnerability can be classified under CWE-276 as improper privilege management, specifically related to insufficient access control checks in the plugin's core functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, particularly for WordPress installations that rely on WP Time Capsule for backup and staging operations. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can bypass standard authentication mechanisms to access backup files, potentially gaining access to sensitive data, user credentials, or system configurations. The privilege escalation capability means that even users with minimal permissions could potentially gain administrative access to WordPress installations, leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1484.001 for Security Software Discovery, as it enables attackers to establish persistent access and manipulate system security controls.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately update to the latest version of the Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule plugin to remediate the issue. System administrators should conduct comprehensive security audits to identify any potential exploitation attempts and review access logs for suspicious activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper privilege management in web applications and highlights the risks associated with inadequate authentication controls in plugin ecosystems. Security teams should implement monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to backup and staging features, as these areas often contain sensitive information and represent attractive targets for attackers seeking to escalate privileges within WordPress environments.