CVE-2024-39633 in PowerPack for Beaver Builder Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/02/2024
Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in IdeaBox PowerPack for Beaver Builder allows Privilege Escalation.This issue affects PowerPack for Beaver Builder: from n/a through 2.33.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2024
The CVE-2024-39633 vulnerability represents a critical improper privilege management flaw within the IdeaBox PowerPack plugin for Beaver Builder, a popular WordPress page builder extension. This vulnerability enables attackers to escalate their privileges within the WordPress environment, potentially allowing them to gain administrative access to affected websites. The issue exists in versions of the PowerPack plugin ranging from the initial release through version 2.33.0, indicating a prolonged period during which the vulnerability has been present and exploitable. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that fail to properly validate user permissions when executing administrative functions within the plugin's codebase. This flaw specifically impacts the plugin's privilege management system, where insufficient validation allows unauthorized users to perform actions that should be restricted to administrators or users with higher privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of access control checks within the plugin's administrative interfaces. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute privileged operations without proper authentication or authorization, effectively bypassing the normal WordPress user role and capability systems. The flaw likely manifests in the plugin's handling of user capabilities, where administrative functions are called without proper verification of the current user's permissions. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper privilege management, and represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all software systems. The attack vector typically involves an authenticated user with lower privileges who can manipulate plugin functionality to escalate their access level, potentially leading to complete compromise of the WordPress installation.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-39633 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full system compromise and data breach potential. When exploited, this vulnerability allows attackers to modify core WordPress settings, install malicious plugins, access sensitive user data, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the affected environment. The vulnerability affects not only individual websites but also poses risks to entire WordPress networks where multiple sites share the same vulnerable plugin version. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability provides a critical entry point that can be leveraged as a stepping stone for further attacks, potentially leading to data exfiltration, site defacement, or use of compromised sites for malicious activities such as spam distribution or phishing attacks. The vulnerability's presence in versions through 2.33.0 means that a substantial number of WordPress installations may be at risk, particularly those that have not updated their plugins to the latest versions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-39633 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to the latest available version that contains the necessary security patches. System administrators must conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all installations running affected versions of the PowerPack plugin and ensure prompt remediation. Additionally, implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability. Security hardening measures should include regular plugin audits, implementation of web application firewalls, and enforcement of strong access control policies. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege by restricting plugin capabilities and ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to administrative functions. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining current security patches and regularly reviewing third-party software components for known security issues. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and can be used as a persistence mechanism once initial access is gained. Regular security awareness training for administrators and implementation of automated patch management systems can significantly reduce the window of exposure for this and similar vulnerabilities.