CVE-2024-8795 in BA Book Everything Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/24/2024
The BA Book Everything plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in all versions up to, and including, 1.6.20. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on the my_account_update() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update a user's account details via a forged request granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link. This can be leveraged to reset a user's password and gain access to their account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2025
The CVE-2024-8795 vulnerability affects the BA Book Everything plugin for WordPress, representing a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that compromises user account security. This vulnerability exists in all plugin versions up to and including 1.6.20, making it a widespread concern for WordPress site administrators who have implemented this specific booking plugin. The vulnerability stems from insufficient or absent nonce validation within the my_account_update() function, which is a fundamental security mechanism designed to prevent unauthorized requests from being processed. The absence of proper nonce verification creates a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate user account information without proper authentication.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted forged request that can be delivered to a target user, typically an administrator, via social engineering tactics such as phishing emails or malicious links. When an administrator clicks on a malicious link or visits a compromised webpage, the forged request executes automatically in the context of their authenticated session. This CSRF attack vector specifically targets the account update functionality, allowing attackers to modify user details including potentially resetting passwords. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, potentially escalating to full administrative control depending on the compromised user's privileges and the system's overall security posture.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and insufficient session management practices that violate fundamental web application security principles. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566, which covers Social Engineering techniques, as it relies on tricking users into performing malicious actions. Additionally, the vulnerability contributes to T1078, which covers Valid Accounts, as successful exploitation results in unauthorized access using legitimate user credentials. The attack chain typically begins with an attacker crafting a malicious request that leverages the missing nonce validation, followed by social engineering to get an administrator to execute the request, ultimately leading to account compromise and potential privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple account takeover scenarios, as it can lead to broader security breaches within WordPress installations. When administrators fall victim to such attacks, attackers can manipulate booking data, access sensitive user information, and potentially use compromised accounts to launch further attacks against other systems or users. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions indicates a systemic issue in the plugin's development lifecycle, suggesting inadequate security testing and code review processes. Organizations relying on the BA Book Everything plugin must immediately implement mitigations including plugin updates, nonce validation enforcement, and enhanced user education about phishing threats. Additionally, network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious account modification patterns, and multi-factor authentication should be strongly recommended for all administrative accounts to provide defense-in-depth against such exploitation attempts.