CVE-2024-37517: Spectra Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-37517 Overview

CVE-2024-37517 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in the Brainstorm Force Spectra plugin for WordPress. The flaw affects Spectra versions up to and including 2.13.7 and stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels. Authenticated attackers with low-level privileges can abuse plugin endpoints that fail to enforce proper authorization checks. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the target WordPress site.

Critical Impact
An authenticated attacker with low privileges can bypass authorization checks in the Spectra plugin over the network, leading to high-impact compromise of the affected WordPress installation.

Affected Products

Brainstorm Force Spectra (Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg) WordPress plugin
Spectra versions from n/a through 2.13.7
WordPress sites running the vulnerable plugin build

Discovery Timeline

2024-11-01 - CVE-2024-37517 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-37517

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a broken access control weakness in the Spectra plugin, a widely deployed Gutenberg block builder for WordPress. Plugin functionality exposes actions or endpoints that do not verify whether the requesting user holds the required capability. Because the check is missing rather than misimplemented, low-privileged users such as subscriber or contributor accounts can invoke privileged operations. The issue is network-reachable and requires only low privileges with no user interaction, which broadens the pool of viable attackers to anyone who can register or already holds a low-tier account.

Root Cause

The root cause is Missing Authorization [CWE-862]. Handler functions in the plugin fail to call WordPress capability checks such as current_user_can() or to validate nonces against a privileged capability before executing sensitive actions. As a result, access control decisions are effectively delegated to authentication alone, and any authenticated session satisfies the guard. The Patchstack advisory classifies this as Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels within the Spectra codebase.

Attack Vector

An attacker authenticates to the target WordPress site with any low-privilege account. The attacker then issues crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable Spectra AJAX or REST endpoints. Because the endpoints do not enforce a capability check, the plugin executes the requested action under the attacker's session. Depending on the specific unprotected function, this can lead to unauthorized modification of site content, plugin settings, or other operations reserved for administrators. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for endpoint-level technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-37517

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to Spectra block configurations, reusable blocks, or plugin options performed by non-administrator accounts.
HTTP POST requests from low-privilege authenticated users to Spectra AJAX handlers or REST routes under /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or /wp-json/.
Newly created posts, pages, or forms containing Spectra blocks authored by subscriber or contributor accounts.

Detection Strategies

Inventory WordPress installations and flag any running Spectra at version 2.13.7 or earlier.
Correlate web server access logs with WordPress user roles to identify low-privileged users invoking Spectra administrative actions.
Review WordPress audit logs for capability-sensitive operations executed by non-administrator sessions.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable a WordPress activity log plugin to record option changes, plugin setting updates, and role changes.
Alert on repeated 200-response requests to Spectra endpoints originating from accounts without edit_posts or manage_options capabilities.
Monitor for new user registrations followed by immediate requests to plugin AJAX or REST endpoints.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-37517

Immediate Actions Required

Update Spectra to a version released after 2.13.7 that addresses the Missing Authorization issue.
Audit existing WordPress user accounts and disable or remove any unrecognized low-privilege accounts.
Restrict open user registration on sites that do not require it by setting Anyone can register to disabled in WordPress general settings.

Patch Information

Brainstorm Force has addressed the vulnerability in a Spectra release subsequent to 2.13.7. Site operators should upgrade to the latest available version of the plugin. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for the fixed version and remediation guidance.

Workarounds

Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that blocks unauthenticated and low-privileged requests to Spectra AJAX and REST endpoints until patching is complete.
Temporarily deactivate the Spectra plugin on sites where an immediate update is not feasible.
Enforce least-privilege role assignments and disable self-service registration to reduce the pool of accounts that could exploit the flaw.

bash

# Configuration example: disable open registration and enforce least privilege via WP-CLI
wp option update users_can_register 0
wp option update default_role subscriber
wp plugin update ultimate-addons-for-gutenberg