CVE-2024-49628 in Most and Least Read Posts Widget Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/20/2024
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in whiletrue Most And Least Read Posts Widget most-and-least-read-posts-widget allows Cross Site Request Forgery.This issue affects Most And Least Read Posts Widget: from n/a through <= 2.5.18.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2026
The cross-site request forgery vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-49628 resides within the Most And Least Read Posts Widget plugin for WordPress, specifically impacting versions ranging from an unspecified initial version through and including 2.5.18. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of user sessions and potentially allows unauthorized actions to be performed on behalf of authenticated users. The issue manifests through the plugin's failure to implement proper anti-CSRF mechanisms, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can exploit user trust to execute unintended operations.
The technical flaw stems from the plugin's insufficient validation of request origins and lack of anti-CSRF tokens in its form submissions and API endpoints. When users navigate to web pages containing malicious links or are tricked into submitting requests through social engineering tactics, attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform actions such as modifying widget configurations, deleting posts, or altering user permissions without the victim's knowledge or consent. This weakness directly correlates to CWE-352, which categorizes cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities as a fundamental flaw in web application security that allows attackers to execute unauthorized commands on behalf of legitimate users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, potentially enabling attackers to compromise entire WordPress installations through privilege escalation or data exfiltration. Given that the widget plugin typically operates with administrative privileges, successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify core site functionality, inject malicious content, or establish persistent backdoors within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability affects the plugin's ability to maintain secure session management and validate user intent, creating opportunities for attackers to perform unauthorized administrative actions that could result in complete site compromise or data loss.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-49628 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions 2.5.19 or later, which contain the necessary CSRF protection mechanisms. Administrators must also implement additional security measures including input validation, proper session management, and the deployment of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests. Security monitoring should focus on identifying unusual administrative activities or unauthorized configuration changes that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers and ensuring that all WordPress installations maintain current security patches through automated update mechanisms. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper anti-CSRF measures as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering tactics that exploit user trust to gain unauthorized access to systems.