CVE-2024-13510 Overview
CVE-2024-13510 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the ShopSite plugin for WordPress in all versions up to and including 1.5.10. The flaw stems from missing or incorrect nonce validation on a plugin function. Unauthenticated attackers can update plugin settings and inject malicious web scripts by tricking a site administrator into clicking a crafted link. Successful exploitation combines CSRF with stored script injection, allowing attackers to alter plugin configuration and execute JavaScript in an administrator's browser session. The vulnerability is categorized under [CWE-352] Cross-Site Request Forgery.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can modify ShopSite plugin settings and inject malicious scripts by tricking an authenticated administrator into visiting a crafted page or link.
Affected Products
- ShopSite plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 1.5.10
- WordPress sites with the ShopSite plugin installed and active
- Administrator sessions authenticated to a vulnerable WordPress installation
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-02-04 - CVE-2024-13510 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-13510
Vulnerability Analysis
The ShopSite plugin exposes an administrative function that processes state-changing requests without validating a WordPress nonce. Nonces in WordPress serve as anti-CSRF tokens generated per-user and per-action. When these tokens are missing or improperly checked, the server cannot distinguish between a legitimate administrator submission and a forged cross-origin request.
An attacker hosts a page containing a form or JavaScript that submits a request to the vulnerable endpoint. If a logged-in administrator loads that page, the browser sends the request with valid authentication cookies. The plugin accepts the request as legitimate and processes the settings update, which can include attacker-controlled script payloads.
Because the injected scripts persist in plugin settings and render in administrative or public pages, the impact extends beyond a single request to persistent script execution in an authenticated context.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or incorrect nonce validation on a settings-handling function in the ShopSite plugin. WordPress provides check_admin_referer() and wp_verify_nonce() for this purpose, but the vulnerable code path did not enforce nonce checks correctly before applying user-supplied input to plugin options.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires user interaction from an authenticated administrator. The attacker crafts a malicious HTML page hosting a forged request targeting the plugin endpoint, then delivers a link through phishing, comment injection, or a compromised site. When the administrator visits the page while logged into WordPress, the browser transmits session cookies with the forged request. The plugin processes the injected settings and stores attacker-supplied script content.
For exploitation technique details, review the Wordfence Vulnerability Report and the WordPress Plugin Changeset documenting the fix.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-13510
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to ShopSite plugin settings without corresponding administrator activity in audit logs
- Presence of <script> tags or JavaScript event handlers stored in ShopSite configuration fields
- HTTP POST requests to ShopSite admin endpoints originating from external Referer headers
- Administrator sessions loading external URLs shortly before unauthorized settings changes
Detection Strategies
- Inspect the WordPress wp_options table for ShopSite-related entries containing HTML or JavaScript content
- Review web server access logs for POST requests to plugin admin handlers lacking a valid same-origin Referer
- Correlate administrator authentication events with plugin settings modification timestamps
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to log requests to the plugin endpoint missing the expected _wpnonce parameter
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging to track plugin settings changes and administrator actions
- Monitor outbound traffic from administrator browsers for connections to unrecognized external domains
- Alert on script content appearing in database fields that should hold configuration data
- Track failed and successful admin panel logins alongside subsequent settings modifications
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-13510
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the ShopSite plugin to a version later than 1.5.10 that includes the nonce validation fix
- Audit ShopSite plugin settings for injected script content and remove any unauthorized entries
- Rotate administrator credentials and invalidate active sessions if compromise is suspected
- Instruct administrators to log out of WordPress before browsing untrusted sites and links
Patch Information
The vendor addressed the missing nonce validation in a plugin update tracked in the WordPress Plugin Changeset. Site owners should upgrade through the WordPress plugin dashboard or by replacing plugin files with the latest release. Confirm the installed version exceeds 1.5.10 after upgrade.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the ShopSite plugin until an update can be applied
- Restrict WordPress admin panel access by IP address using web server or firewall rules
- Deploy a WAF rule that blocks requests to ShopSite admin endpoints missing a valid _wpnonce token
- Enforce short administrator session lifetimes and require re-authentication for sensitive actions
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.