CVE-2024-30512: weForms Authorization Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-30512 Overview

CVE-2024-30512 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability affecting the weForms plugin for WordPress. This Broken Access Control flaw allows unauthorized users to access protected functionality without proper authentication checks, potentially exposing sensitive form data and administrative capabilities to unauthenticated attackers.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables unauthorized access to protected resources and functionality in the weForms WordPress plugin, potentially allowing attackers to access, modify, or exfiltrate sensitive form submission data.

Affected Products

• weForms plugin versions from n/a through 1.6.20
• WordPress installations running vulnerable weForms versions
• weformspro weforms (cpe:2.3:a:weformspro:weforms:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*)

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-06-09 - CVE-2024-30512 published to NVD
• 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-30512

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), which occurs when software fails to perform authorization checks before allowing access to protected functionality or resources. In the context of the weForms WordPress plugin, certain endpoints or functions lack proper capability checks, allowing unauthenticated or low-privileged users to perform actions that should be restricted to administrators.

The flaw enables network-based attacks that require no user interaction and no prior authentication. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to form submissions, modify form configurations, or potentially extract sensitive data collected through forms built with weForms.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of proper authorization checks in the weForms plugin. WordPress plugins typically use capability checks (such as current_user_can()) to verify that a user has the appropriate permissions before executing sensitive operations. When these checks are missing or improperly implemented, it creates a Broken Access Control condition where any user—including unauthenticated visitors—can access protected functionality.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can directly send crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable WordPress installation to exploit the missing authorization checks. The vulnerability affects both confidentiality and integrity of data, as attackers can potentially read sensitive form submissions and modify protected resources.

The attack flow typically involves:

1. Identifying a WordPress site using a vulnerable version of weForms
2. Crafting HTTP requests targeting the unprotected endpoints
3. Accessing or manipulating protected resources without authorization

For detailed technical information about the exploitation mechanism, refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-30512

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual access patterns to weForms-related AJAX endpoints or REST API routes
• Unexpected form data exports or modifications without corresponding admin activity
• HTTP requests to weForms administrative functions from unauthenticated sessions
• Log entries showing access to protected weForms endpoints without valid authentication cookies

Detection Strategies

• Monitor WordPress access logs for requests to weForms-related endpoints without valid authentication
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting weForms functionality
• Audit WordPress user activity logs for unexpected form data access or configuration changes
• Review server logs for patterns indicating automated exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all WordPress plugin interactions, particularly AJAX and REST API calls
• Configure alerts for any unauthorized access attempts to form submission data
• Monitor for bulk data extraction attempts through weForms endpoints
• Implement rate limiting on sensitive plugin endpoints to detect reconnaissance activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-30512

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the weForms plugin to a version newer than 1.6.20 immediately
• Audit form submission data for any signs of unauthorized access or data exfiltration
• Review WordPress user accounts and access logs for suspicious activity
• Consider temporarily disabling the weForms plugin until patching is complete if immediate update is not possible

Patch Information

Update the weForms WordPress plugin to a version newer than 1.6.20. The patch introduces proper authorization checks to ensure that only authenticated users with appropriate capabilities can access protected functionality. Plugin updates can be applied through the WordPress admin dashboard under Plugins > Installed Plugins, or via WP-CLI using the command wp plugin update weforms.

For additional details, consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable the weForms plugin until an update can be applied
• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to restrict access to weForms endpoints
• Use WordPress security plugins to add additional authentication layers to sensitive plugin functions
• Restrict access to the WordPress admin area by IP address if possible

# Configuration example
# WP-CLI command to update the weForms plugin
wp plugin update weforms

# Alternative: Deactivate weForms temporarily until patch is applied
wp plugin deactivate weforms

# Verify plugin version after update
wp plugin list --name=weforms --fields=name,version,status