CVE-2024-43223: EventPrime Authorization Bypass Flaw

CVE-2024-43223 Overview

CVE-2024-43223 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the EventPrime plugin for WordPress, developed by Metagauss. The flaw stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels, classified under [CWE-862]. Authenticated users with low-level privileges can invoke restricted functionality that should require higher authorization. The vulnerability affects all EventPrime versions up to and including 4.0.3.2. Successful exploitation can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected WordPress sites running the plugin.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers with low privileges can bypass access controls in the EventPrime plugin and execute restricted operations across confidentiality, integrity, and availability boundaries over the network.

Affected Products

Metagauss EventPrime plugin for WordPress
EventPrime versions from unspecified initial release through 4.0.3.2
WordPress sites with the EventPrime Event Calendar Management plugin installed

Discovery Timeline

2024-11-01 - CVE-2024-43223 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-43223

Vulnerability Analysis

The EventPrime plugin exposes functionality that lacks proper authorization enforcement. The plugin fails to verify whether the requesting user holds the appropriate role or capability before executing sensitive actions. This falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-862, Missing Authorization.

An authenticated attacker with low-level privileges, such as a subscriber account, can invoke plugin endpoints intended for administrators or event managers. Because the plugin's access control checks are absent or misconfigured, the server processes these requests without rejecting them.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of capability checks in EventPrime's request handlers. WordPress provides functions such as current_user_can() to verify user permissions before executing privileged operations. When plugin developers omit these checks or apply them at the wrong security level, any authenticated user can trigger administrative functions.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires network access and a valid low-privilege account on the target WordPress site. The attacker sends crafted HTTP requests to vulnerable EventPrime endpoints. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's authentication. Detailed exploitation information is documented in the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is currently available, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-43223

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected event creation, modification, or deletion actions initiated by low-privilege user accounts
HTTP POST requests from subscriber-level accounts to EventPrime AJAX or REST endpoints
New administrator or event manager accounts appearing without corresponding provisioning records
Changes to plugin settings or event data outside of scheduled administrative windows

Detection Strategies

Review WordPress audit logs for privileged actions performed by accounts lacking the required capability
Correlate HTTP request logs against user role metadata to identify authorization mismatches
Monitor plugin-specific endpoints such as admin-ajax.php calls referencing EventPrime handlers

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose logging on the WordPress site and forward events to a centralized SIEM for analysis
Alert on any state-changing plugin operations triggered by non-administrator accounts
Track version metadata for the EventPrime plugin to confirm patched builds remain deployed

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-43223

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade EventPrime to a version later than 4.0.3.2 that includes the vendor's access control fix
Audit all existing WordPress user accounts and remove unnecessary or dormant low-privilege users
Review recent event, user, and configuration changes for signs of unauthorized modification
Restrict site registration to trusted users while remediation is in progress

Patch Information

Metagauss addressed the missing authorization issue in a release following EventPrime 4.0.3.2. Administrators should consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for the specific fixed version and update the plugin through the WordPress admin dashboard or WP-CLI.

Workarounds

Disable the EventPrime plugin until an updated version can be installed and validated
Apply a web application firewall rule that blocks requests to EventPrime endpoints from non-administrator sessions
Restrict new user registration and require administrator approval for account creation

bash

# Update EventPrime plugin using WP-CLI
wp plugin update eventprime-event-calendar-management

# Verify the installed version
wp plugin get eventprime-event-calendar-management --field=version

# Temporarily deactivate the plugin if a patched version is not yet available
wp plugin deactivate eventprime-event-calendar-management