CVE-2024-9705 in Ultimate Coming Soon & Maintenance Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/06/2024
The Ultimate Coming Soon & Maintenance plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the 'ucsm_update_template_name_lite' function in all versions up to, and including, 1.0.9. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to change the name of the plugin's templates.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-9705 affects the Ultimate Coming Soon & Maintenance plugin for WordPress, a widely used tool for managing website maintenance pages and coming soon functionalities. This plugin serves as a critical component for website administrators who need to display maintenance messages or upcoming launch pages to visitors while keeping their site content hidden from public view. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental security flaw in the plugin's code structure that fails to properly validate user permissions before executing sensitive operations. The issue specifically impacts all versions of the plugin up to and including version 1.0.9, making it a persistent threat across multiple releases that have been widely deployed across WordPress installations worldwide.
The technical flaw manifests in the 'ucsm_update_template_name_lite' function which lacks proper capability verification before allowing template name modifications. This function operates without checking whether the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative privileges to perform such operations. According to CWE-284, this represents an inadequate access control mechanism where insufficient authorization checks permit unauthorized users to execute privileged functions. The vulnerability creates a direct path for privilege escalation since authenticated users with Subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this weakness to modify plugin templates. This flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege as defined in cybersecurity best practices, where users should only have the minimum permissions necessary to perform their intended functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple template name modifications, as it provides attackers with a foothold for further compromise within the WordPress environment. An authenticated attacker with Subscriber-level permissions can manipulate template names to potentially hide malicious content or create confusion within the website's maintenance functionality. This capability could be leveraged to disrupt website operations, manipulate user experience, or serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the website's maintenance pages, potentially allowing attackers to modify the appearance or content of maintenance messages that visitors see when accessing the site. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a low-effort method to gain influence over the site's public-facing maintenance interface, as demonstrated by ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers valid accounts as a means of gaining access to systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-9705 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that have addressed the capability check deficiency. WordPress administrators should conduct thorough security audits of their plugin installations to identify all affected versions and ensure prompt remediation. The vulnerability highlights the importance of implementing proper input validation and access control mechanisms within WordPress plugins, particularly those that handle user-facing content modifications. Security professionals should also consider implementing network monitoring to detect unusual template modification activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should enforce strict access control policies and regularly review user permissions to minimize the risk of unauthorized modifications. The remediation process should include not only updating the vulnerable plugin but also reviewing other plugins for similar access control issues, as this vulnerability pattern suggests potential code quality concerns that may exist in other components of the WordPress ecosystem.