CVE-2024-6872 in Build Your Dream Website Fast
Summary
by MITRE • 08/03/2024
The Build Your Dream Website Fast with 400+ Starter Templates and Landing Pages, No Coding Needed, One-Click Import for Elementor & Gutenberg Blocks! – TemplateSpare plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the 'templatespare_activate_required_theme' and 'templatespare_get_theme_status' functions in all versions up to, and including, 2.4.2. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to activate any installed theme and read any theme status. If the attacker attempts to activate a theme that is not installed, a non-existent theme with the slug chosen by the attacker will be considered the active theme, leaving the site with no theme functionality.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-6872 affects the TemplateSpare WordPress plugin, which is designed to provide users with numerous starter templates and landing pages for website creation without requiring coding knowledge. This plugin specifically supports Elementor and Gutenberg blocks through one-click import functionality. The security flaw stems from inadequate authorization checks within the plugin's core functionality, creating a significant risk for WordPress installations that rely on this tool for rapid website development and templating.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the absence of proper capability verification within two critical functions: 'templatespare_activate_required_theme' and 'templatespare_get_theme_status'. These functions operate without checking whether the authenticated user possesses sufficient privileges to perform the respective actions. According to CWE-284, this represents an inadequate access control mechanism where the plugin fails to enforce proper authorization checks before executing sensitive operations. The vulnerability allows attackers with Subscriber-level access or higher to manipulate theme activation settings, effectively bypassing the normal WordPress permission model that typically restricts such modifications to administrators or editors.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized theme activation. Attackers can leverage this weakness to install malicious themes that may contain backdoors, malware, or other exploitative code. When an attacker attempts to activate a non-existent theme, the system creates a placeholder entry for that theme slug, leaving the website without functional theme support and potentially rendering it inaccessible to visitors. This scenario creates a denial of service condition while simultaneously providing an attack vector for further compromise. The vulnerability also enables attackers to gather information about installed themes through the status reading function, which can be used for reconnaissance purposes in subsequent attack phases.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves the exploitation of legitimate credentials to gain access to systems. The attack chain begins with an authenticated user who can perform theme activation and status reading operations, potentially leading to privilege escalation or system compromise. Organizations using the TemplateSpare plugin in versions 2.4.2 and earlier face significant risk as the vulnerability allows for persistent modifications to website functionality. The lack of proper input validation and capability checks creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the plugin is updated or the vulnerability is patched.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the missing capability checks. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including role-based access control reviews, monitoring of theme activation events, and regular security audits of installed plugins. The principle of least privilege should be enforced, ensuring that users with Subscriber-level access cannot perform operations that could compromise website integrity. Security professionals should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious theme activation patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their WordPress installations to identify similar issues in other plugins or themes that may present comparable access control weaknesses.