CVE-2024-9161 in Rank Math SEO Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/05/2024
The Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification and loss of data due to a missing capability check on the 'update_metadata' function in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.228. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to insert new and update existing metadata beginning with 'rank_math', and delete arbitrary existing user metadata and term metadata. Deleting existing usermeta can cause a loss of access to the administrator dashboard for any registered users, including Administrators.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-9161 affects the Rank Math SEO plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 1.0.228. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity and confidentiality of WordPress installations by exploiting a missing capability check within the plugin's metadata management system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls that permit unauthorized modification of critical metadata elements, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate core system components without proper authentication or authorization.
The technical implementation flaw resides in the 'update_metadata' function which fails to verify user capabilities before allowing metadata operations. This missing capability check creates a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to perform arbitrary modifications to metadata entries prefixed with 'rank_math'. The vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to include deletion capabilities that can target user metadata and term metadata, fundamentally compromising the WordPress user management system. According to CWE-284, this represents an inadequate access control implementation where the application fails to properly validate user permissions before executing privileged operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, particularly affecting WordPress administrator accounts and overall system integrity. When attackers exploit this vulnerability, they can delete existing usermeta entries which directly impacts user authentication and access control mechanisms. This deletion capability can result in complete loss of administrative access for registered users, including administrators, effectively locking them out of their own WordPress dashboard. The implications extend beyond simple data modification to encompass complete system compromise and potential full administrative control over the affected WordPress installation.
This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which focuses on valid accounts and credential manipulation, as the compromised system can be used to maintain persistent access through manipulated user metadata. The missing capability check creates a persistent backdoor mechanism that can be exploited repeatedly without detection, making it particularly dangerous for long-term system compromise. Organizations running vulnerable versions of this plugin face significant risk of unauthorized access, data manipulation, and potential complete system takeover. The vulnerability also violates fundamental security principles outlined in NIST SP 800-53, specifically addressing access control and audit requirements that mandate proper authentication and authorization checks for all system operations.
The recommended mitigations include immediate upgrading to the latest plugin version where the capability check has been implemented, conducting thorough security audits of affected systems, and monitoring for suspicious metadata changes in WordPress databases. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as web application firewalls, regular security scanning, and monitoring of usermeta table modifications to detect potential exploitation attempts. Given the severity of this vulnerability, organizations should treat it as a critical security incident requiring immediate remediation and ongoing monitoring to prevent potential compromise of their WordPress environments.