CVE-2024-38721 Overview
CVE-2024-38721 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in the spider-themes EazyDocs plugin for WordPress. The flaw stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels, allowing authenticated users to invoke plugin functionality outside their permission scope. The issue affects all versions of EazyDocs up to and including 2.5.0.
An attacker with low-privilege credentials can exploit this weakness over the network without user interaction. Successful exploitation can result in unauthorized modification of documentation content and disruption of site availability.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with low privileges can bypass access controls on the EazyDocs plugin to modify data and impact site availability on affected WordPress installations.
Affected Products
- spider-themes EazyDocs WordPress plugin versions up to and including 2.5.0
- WordPress sites with the EazyDocs plugin installed and activated
- Documentation portals built on the EazyDocs framework
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-11-01 - CVE-2024-38721 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-38721
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a Broken Access Control weakness classified under CWE-862: Missing Authorization. EazyDocs exposes plugin actions without validating whether the requesting user holds the required capability. As a result, authenticated users at low privilege tiers can trigger actions intended for administrators or editors.
The Patchstack Vulnerability Report documents the flaw as a Broken Access Control issue affecting all versions through 2.5.0. Because the attack executes over the network with low complexity, exploitation is straightforward for any authenticated user on a vulnerable site.
Root Cause
EazyDocs registers AJAX or REST endpoints that perform privileged operations without enforcing current_user_can() capability checks or equivalent authorization logic. The plugin relies on the presence of an authenticated session rather than validating the specific role or capability required for each action. This design gap permits privilege boundary violations across users of the WordPress instance.
Attack Vector
An attacker first obtains any authenticated WordPress account, such as a Subscriber-level user created through open registration. The attacker then issues a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable EazyDocs endpoint. Because authorization is not enforced server-side, the request executes with the plugin's intended privileged context. This can lead to unauthorized modification of documentation entries or actions that degrade site availability.
No verified public exploit is available for this CVE. Refer to the Patchstack advisory linked above for further technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-38721
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected creation, modification, or deletion of EazyDocs documentation entries by non-administrative user accounts
- HTTP POST requests to EazyDocs AJAX actions (admin-ajax.php) originating from Subscriber or Contributor accounts
- Newly registered low-privilege user accounts followed shortly by requests to EazyDocs endpoints
Detection Strategies
- Review WordPress audit logs for privileged actions performed by users whose role does not include documentation management capabilities
- Correlate web server access logs with WordPress user session data to identify authorization anomalies against EazyDocs endpoints
- Flag any HTTP 200 responses to EazyDocs administrative actions requested by low-privilege authenticated sessions
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable a WordPress activity logging plugin to capture role-based action attempts and endpoint invocations
- Monitor outbound changes to documentation content and alert on modifications performed outside expected editor accounts
- Track the rate of authenticated requests to admin-ajax.php with EazyDocs action parameters to identify abuse patterns
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-38721
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the EazyDocs plugin to a version later than 2.5.0 that addresses the Broken Access Control issue documented by Patchstack
- Audit existing WordPress user accounts and remove any unrecognized low-privilege accounts that may have been used for exploitation
- Review EazyDocs documentation entries for unauthorized additions or modifications and restore from backup if tampering is confirmed
Patch Information
The vendor addressed the issue in a release subsequent to EazyDocs 2.5.0. Site administrators should upgrade to the latest available version of the plugin through the WordPress plugin repository. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for confirmation of the fixed version.
Workarounds
- Disable the EazyDocs plugin until the patched version can be installed and validated in a staging environment
- Restrict WordPress user registration to trusted users only, and disable open registration on the affected site
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule that blocks unauthenticated or low-privilege access to EazyDocs AJAX endpoints
# Disable open user registration in wp-config.php or via wp-cli
wp option update users_can_register 0
# Deactivate the EazyDocs plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate eazydocs
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
