CVE-2024-50483 in Meetup Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/28/2024
Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key vulnerability in Tareq Hasan Meetup meetup allows Privilege Escalation.This issue affects Meetup: from n/a through <= 0.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-50483 represents a critical authorization bypass flaw in the Tareq Hasan Meetup application that enables unauthorized privilege escalation through user-controlled key manipulation. This weakness falls under the broader category of authorization bypass vulnerabilities, specifically classified as CWE-285 which encompasses improper authorization scenarios where attackers can bypass access control mechanisms. The vulnerability exists within the meetup application's permission system, allowing malicious actors to manipulate authentication tokens or keys that should normally be restricted to authorized users only. The affected version range indicates that any installation at version 0.1 or below remains susceptible to this exploitation, making it a particularly concerning issue for organizations that have not yet updated their systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-controlled keys within the application's authentication framework. When users interact with the meetup platform, they may inadvertently or deliberately manipulate key parameters that should remain protected and validated by the system's authorization layer. This flaw allows attackers to craft or modify authentication keys that grant them elevated privileges beyond their normal user permissions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it enables privilege escalation, meaning an attacker who initially gains access to a basic user account could potentially elevate their privileges to administrative or elevated user levels. This type of vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through legitimate credentials manipulation.
The operational consequences of CVE-2024-50483 are severe and multifaceted, particularly for organizations relying on the meetup platform for collaborative or event management activities. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to sensitive event data, user information, and potentially manipulate event configurations or participant lists. The privilege escalation capability means that unauthorized access could lead to complete system compromise, allowing attackers to modify or delete critical meetup data, create fraudulent events, or access confidential communications between organizers and participants. Organizations using this application may experience data breaches, loss of user trust, and potential regulatory compliance violations depending on the nature of the data handled by the meetup platform. The vulnerability's presence in version 0.1 and below suggests that it likely affects early-stage deployments or development environments that have not undergone proper security hardening.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-50483 must focus on immediate application updates and comprehensive security review of the authentication system. The most critical step involves upgrading to a patched version of the meetup application that addresses this authorization bypass vulnerability. Organizations should implement robust key validation mechanisms that prevent user-controlled parameters from being used in authentication contexts without proper authorization checks. The security architecture should incorporate principle of least privilege enforcement where even authenticated users cannot manipulate keys that would grant them elevated privileges. Additional protective measures include implementing proper input sanitization for all user-controllable parameters, adding multi-factor authentication where possible, and establishing monitoring systems to detect unusual authentication patterns or privilege escalation attempts. Security teams should also conduct thorough code reviews focusing on authorization logic and validate that all key manipulation operations are properly authenticated and authorized. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation and the potential catastrophic impact when authorization mechanisms are improperly designed or validated.