CVE-2024-24872 Overview
CVE-2024-24872 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability [CWE-352] affecting the Themify Builder plugin for WordPress. The flaw impacts all versions up to and including 7.0.5. An attacker can craft a malicious web page that triggers unauthorized state-changing actions when an authenticated administrator visits it. Successful exploitation can compromise site confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability requires user interaction and is exploitable over the network without prior authentication.
Critical Impact
A remote attacker can trick an authenticated WordPress administrator into executing unauthorized actions in Themify Builder, potentially leading to full site compromise.
Affected Products
- Themify Builder plugin for WordPress
- Versions from n/a through 7.0.5
- WordPress sites using vulnerable Themify Builder installations
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-02-21 - CVE-2024-24872 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-24872
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability stems from missing or insufficient CSRF protections in state-changing request handlers exposed by Themify Builder. WordPress plugins are expected to validate anti-CSRF nonces on privileged actions using functions such as check_admin_referer() or wp_verify_nonce(). When these checks are absent or improperly enforced, an attacker can forge requests that the victim's browser submits automatically with valid session cookies.
Exploitation requires an authenticated user, typically an administrator, to visit an attacker-controlled page or click a crafted link. The browser then issues the forged request to the WordPress site, which processes it as legitimate. This allows the attacker to modify plugin settings, inject content, or perform other privileged operations exposed by the vulnerable endpoints.
Root Cause
The root cause is the absence of proper CSRF token validation on privileged endpoints in Themify Builder versions up to 7.0.5. The plugin trusts session authentication alone without verifying that the request originated from the WordPress admin interface. This violates the security model WordPress provides through its nonce system.
Attack Vector
The attack is delivered over the network and requires user interaction. An attacker hosts a malicious HTML page containing hidden form submissions or JavaScript that targets the vulnerable Themify Builder endpoint. When an authenticated administrator visits the page, the browser transmits authenticated cookies alongside the forged request. The WordPress site executes the action without confirming user intent.
See the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-24872
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to Themify Builder configuration or page templates
- Unauthorized administrative actions correlated with recent admin browsing activity
- Web server logs showing state-changing POST requests to Themify Builder endpoints with external Referer headers
- New or modified content, widgets, or shortcodes attributed to admin accounts without corresponding admin session activity
Detection Strategies
- Inspect access logs for POST requests to Themify Builder handlers where the Referer header points to an unrelated third-party domain
- Enable WordPress audit logging to track administrative actions and correlate them with authenticated session activity
- Monitor for anomalous configuration changes performed outside normal administrative workflows
Monitoring Recommendations
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule set that flags missing or invalid WordPress nonces on privileged endpoints
- Alert on privileged plugin actions initiated from off-site referrers or unusual user agents
- Review the installed Themify Builder version across all managed WordPress sites and flag any instance at 7.0.5 or earlier
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-24872
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Themify Builder to a version later than 7.0.5 as soon as the vendor patch is available
- Audit administrator accounts and recent site changes for signs of unauthorized modifications
- Enforce least-privilege access, limiting the number of accounts with administrator capabilities
- Require administrators to log out of WordPress before browsing untrusted sites
Patch Information
Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for vendor patch status and remediation guidance. Apply the fixed release provided by Themify once available and verify the plugin version after upgrade.
Workarounds
- Temporarily deactivate the Themify Builder plugin on affected sites until a patched version is installed
- Restrict access to the WordPress admin interface using IP allowlisting or VPN-only access
- Configure a WAF to block cross-origin state-changing requests targeting Themify Builder endpoints
- Enable browser-side protections such as SameSite=Lax or SameSite=Strict cookies for the WordPress session where feasible
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
