CVE-2024-9583 in RSS Aggregator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/23/2024
The RSS Aggregator – RSS Import, News Feeds, Feed to Post, and Autoblogging plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized use of functionality due to a missing capability check on the wprss_ajax_send_premium_support function in all versions up to, and including, 4.23.12. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to send premium support requests with an attacker-controlled subject line and email address to support allowing them to impersonate the site owner. License information may also be leaked.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-9583 affects the RSS Aggregator plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 4.23.12. This plugin serves as a critical component for managing RSS feeds and automated content generation within WordPress environments. The flaw resides in the wprss_ajax_send_premium_support function which lacks proper capability verification, creating a significant security gap that undermines the plugin's intended access controls. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks that allows attackers to exploit functionality beyond their intended privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of capability validation within the AJAX endpoint responsible for handling premium support requests. When an authenticated user with subscriber-level access or higher makes a request to the wprss_ajax_send_premium_support function, the system fails to verify whether the user possesses the necessary permissions to initiate premium support communications. This missing capability check creates an authorization bypass that enables malicious actors to manipulate the support request system. The vulnerability manifests as a privilege escalation issue where users can leverage their existing access to perform actions that should be restricted to administrators or premium users only.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple impersonation capabilities and represents a serious threat to both user privacy and system integrity. Attackers can exploit this flaw to send support requests containing attacker-controlled subject lines and email addresses, effectively allowing them to masquerade as legitimate site owners. This impersonation capability can be used for various malicious purposes including social engineering attacks, phishing attempts, or attempting to gain unauthorized access to premium support resources. Additionally, the vulnerability may result in the leakage of license information, which could expose sensitive data about plugin usage, subscription details, or other proprietary information that should remain confidential.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-863, which addresses "Incorrect Authorization" issues where the system fails to properly validate access permissions for protected functions. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers "Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts" where attackers can leverage existing user accounts to access restricted functionality. The attack vector requires only authenticated access with subscriber-level privileges, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by users who have legitimate access to the WordPress installation but should not have access to premium support features. This vulnerability essentially allows for unauthorized use of functionality that should be restricted to authorized personnel only.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-9583 should focus on immediate patching of the affected plugin versions, with administrators prioritizing updates to the latest available version that addresses this authorization bypass. Organizations should implement additional monitoring for unusual support request patterns or attempts to send premium support communications from unexpected sources. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls or firewall rules that restrict access to the specific AJAX endpoints involved in this vulnerability. The recommended approach includes verifying that all users have appropriate access levels and that the plugin's capability checks are properly enforced. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of plugin permissions and ensure that all AJAX endpoints properly validate user capabilities before executing privileged operations. Regular security assessments of WordPress installations should include verification of plugin authorization mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced or remaining undetected in the future.