CVE-2024-32832: Login with Phone Number Auth Bypass Flaw

CVE-2024-32832 Overview

CVE-2024-32832 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability affecting the WordPress "Login with phone number" plugin developed by Hamid Alinia. This broken access control flaw allows attackers to bypass authorization checks, potentially enabling unauthorized access to protected functionality within WordPress sites using the vulnerable plugin.

Critical Impact

Unauthorized access to protected plugin functionality due to missing authorization checks, potentially allowing attackers to perform privileged actions without proper authentication.

Affected Products

• Login with phone number WordPress plugin versions up to and including 1.6.93

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-08-31 - CVE CVE-2024-32832 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-32832

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), which occurs when a software component does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. In the context of WordPress plugins, this typically means that AJAX handlers, REST API endpoints, or other functionality accessible to users do not properly verify that the requesting user has appropriate permissions before executing sensitive operations.

The "Login with phone number" plugin provides phone-based authentication functionality for WordPress sites. Without proper authorization checks, attackers may be able to access administrative functions, modify plugin settings, or perform other privileged actions that should be restricted to authorized users only.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the failure to implement proper capability checks within the plugin's code. WordPress provides functions such as current_user_can() to verify user permissions before executing sensitive operations. When these checks are missing or improperly implemented, any authenticated user (or in some cases, unauthenticated users) can access functionality intended only for administrators or specific user roles.

Attack Vector

An attacker exploiting this vulnerability would typically:

1. Identify endpoints or AJAX actions exposed by the plugin that lack proper authorization checks
2. Craft requests to these unprotected endpoints, potentially manipulating plugin settings or accessing sensitive functionality
3. Execute privileged operations without having the required permissions

The attack does not require authentication in the worst case, or may only require a low-privileged account on the target WordPress site.

Since no verified code examples are available, refer to the Patchstack security advisory for technical details on the specific vulnerable code paths.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-32832

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected modifications to plugin settings without administrator action
• Unusual API calls or AJAX requests to the login-with-phone-number plugin endpoints
• User accounts accessing plugin functionality they should not have permissions for
• Anomalous activity in WordPress audit logs related to phone number authentication

Detection Strategies

• Monitor WordPress access logs for suspicious requests targeting /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with actions related to the login-with-phone-number plugin
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect broken access control exploitation attempts
• Use WordPress security plugins that monitor for unauthorized changes to plugin configurations
• Audit user activity logs for privilege escalation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all WordPress plugin interactions
• Configure alerts for changes to authentication-related plugin settings
• Implement file integrity monitoring for WordPress plugin directories
• Review access patterns to identify users performing actions outside their assigned roles

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-32832

Immediate Actions Required

• Update the "Login with phone number" plugin to a version newer than 1.6.93 that addresses this vulnerability
• Review WordPress user accounts and remove any unauthorized privilege escalations
• Audit plugin settings to ensure no unauthorized modifications have been made
• Consider temporarily disabling the plugin if an update is not immediately available

Patch Information

The vulnerability affects all versions of the Login with phone number plugin from the initial release through version 1.6.93. Users should update to the latest available version that includes the security fix. Check the Patchstack vulnerability database for the latest patch information and update guidance.

Workarounds

• Restrict access to the WordPress admin area using IP-based access controls
• Implement additional authentication layers for administrative functions
• Use a WordPress security plugin to add capability checks at the application level
• Consider using a WAF rule to block unauthorized requests to vulnerable endpoints

# Apache .htaccess example to restrict admin access by IP
<Files admin-ajax.php>
    Order deny,allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
    Allow from YOUR_TRUSTED_IP
</Files>