CVE-2024-32786: Royal Elementor Addons Auth Bypass Issue

CVE-2024-32786 Overview

CVE-2024-32786 is an Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerability affecting the Royal Elementor Addons plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability allows attackers to bypass IP-based security restrictions through header spoofing, enabling functionality bypass in affected installations. The flaw exists in versions up to and including 1.3.93 of the Royal Elementor Addons and Templates plugin.

Critical Impact

Attackers can bypass IP-based authentication controls without any privileges or user interaction, potentially gaining unauthorized access to restricted functionality within WordPress sites using this popular Elementor addon.

Affected Products

• Royal Elementor Addons and Templates versions from n/a through 1.3.93
• WordPress installations with vulnerable Royal Elementor Addons plugin
• Sites relying on IP-based access controls within the plugin

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-05-17 - CVE-2024-32786 published to NVD
• 2025-03-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-32786

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-290 (Authentication Bypass by Spoofing), a class of weakness where attackers can circumvent authentication mechanisms by forging identity information. In the context of Royal Elementor Addons, the plugin implements IP-based security controls that can be bypassed through HTTP header manipulation.

The vulnerability allows network-based attackers to bypass intended access restrictions without requiring any authentication or user interaction. The complete compromise potential includes unauthorized access to confidential data, ability to modify content or functionality, and potential service disruption.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the plugin's improper validation of client IP addresses. The application trusts user-controllable HTTP headers such as X-Forwarded-For, X-Real-IP, or similar headers to determine the client's IP address for authentication and access control decisions. This trust model is fundamentally flawed when attackers can directly control these header values.

When the plugin checks IP addresses for access control decisions, it does not adequately verify that the IP information comes from a trusted source (such as a properly configured reverse proxy), allowing attackers to spoof their IP address and bypass restrictions.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2024-32786 is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Identifying endpoints or functionality protected by IP-based restrictions
2. Crafting HTTP requests with spoofed IP headers (e.g., X-Forwarded-For: 127.0.0.1 or trusted IP ranges)
3. Submitting the crafted requests to bypass IP whitelist/blacklist controls
4. Gaining access to restricted functionality that should be limited to specific IP addresses

The vulnerability is particularly concerning in scenarios where administrators have configured IP-based access controls to protect sensitive plugin features, as these protections can be completely circumvented. For detailed technical information, see the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-32786

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests containing manipulated X-Forwarded-For, X-Real-IP, or X-Client-IP headers with suspicious values
• Access to IP-restricted functionality from unexpected source addresses
• Log entries showing access from localhost (127.0.0.1) or internal IP ranges when requests originate externally
• Multiple requests from varying spoofed IPs targeting the same restricted endpoints

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and alert on suspicious IP header manipulation patterns
• Monitor WordPress access logs for requests containing multiple or conflicting IP header values
• Deploy intrusion detection rules to identify attempts to access Royal Elementor Addons restricted features with spoofed headers
• Use SentinelOne Singularity to detect anomalous behavior patterns associated with authentication bypass attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed HTTP request logging including all client IP-related headers
• Configure alerting for access patterns that indicate IP spoofing attempts
• Monitor for successful access to restricted functionality from unexpected network locations
• Regularly audit WordPress plugin versions to ensure timely vulnerability remediation

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-32786

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Royal Elementor Addons plugin to a version newer than 1.3.93 immediately
• Review access logs for signs of exploitation attempts prior to patching
• Implement additional access controls at the web server or WAF level that do not rely solely on IP-based restrictions
• Audit any sensitive functionality that was protected by IP-based access controls

Patch Information

WP Royal has addressed this vulnerability in versions released after 1.3.93. Administrators should update to the latest available version through the WordPress plugin repository. The fix implements proper IP address validation that does not rely on user-controllable HTTP headers for security decisions.

For additional details about the vulnerability and remediation guidance, refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory.

Workarounds

• Configure web server to strip or validate IP-related headers before they reach the application
• Implement network-level access controls (firewall rules) for sensitive functionality instead of relying on plugin-level IP restrictions
• Use WordPress security plugins with additional authentication mechanisms beyond IP-based controls
• Consider temporarily disabling IP-based access features until patching can be completed

# Apache configuration to sanitize X-Forwarded-For header
# Add to .htaccess or virtual host configuration
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
    RequestHeader unset X-Forwarded-For
    RequestHeader unset X-Real-IP
    RequestHeader unset X-Client-IP
</IfModule>