CVE-2024-43333 Overview
CVE-2024-43333 is an Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability [CWE-266] affecting the Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) Pro plugin for WordPress. The flaw allows an authenticated attacker with low privileges to escalate their access rights within the WordPress environment. All versions of ASE Pro up to and including 7.6.2.1 are affected.
The vulnerability is tracked with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 and an EPSS probability of 0.428%. Successful exploitation compromises the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected WordPress site.
Critical Impact
An authenticated low-privileged user can escalate privileges to gain administrative control over the WordPress instance running vulnerable ASE Pro releases.
Affected Products
- Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) Pro versions up to 7.6.2.1
- WordPress installations using the vulnerable plugin
- Sites permitting low-privileged authenticated users (subscribers, contributors)
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-02-03 - CVE-2024-43333 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-43333
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2024-43333 is classified under [CWE-266: Incorrect Privilege Assignment]. The ASE Pro plugin assigns privileges to users in a manner that does not properly reflect their intended role. As a result, users with legitimate low-privileged accounts can obtain access rights reserved for higher-role accounts such as administrators.
This category of flaw is common in WordPress plugins that expose role or capability management features through AJAX endpoints or admin actions without enforcing sufficient capability checks. Once an attacker escalates to an administrator role, they can install arbitrary plugins, modify site content, exfiltrate data, or pivot to server-level compromise through PHP execution.
Exploitation requires network access to the WordPress admin interface and a valid low-privileged account. Attack complexity is rated High, indicating that specific conditions or configurations must be present for the exploit to succeed reliably.
Root Cause
The root cause lies in the plugin's privilege handling logic within versions up to 7.6.2.1. The plugin fails to correctly validate the requesting user's capabilities before assigning or modifying role-based privileges. This results in users receiving privileges beyond those permitted by their assigned role.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is network-based and requires authentication. An attacker with a low-privileged WordPress account interacts with the vulnerable plugin functionality to trigger an unintended privilege assignment. No user interaction from a victim is required. For technical specifics, refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report.
No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available at this time. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-43333
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes in WordPress user roles or capabilities, particularly accounts elevated to administrator without an audit trail
- New administrator accounts created shortly after low-privileged account activity
- Installation of unfamiliar plugins or themes following authenticated sessions from non-admin users
- Modification of wp_usermeta entries related to wp_capabilities outside of standard admin workflows
Detection Strategies
- Audit the wp_usermeta table for unauthorized changes to the wp_capabilities key
- Review WordPress access logs for POST requests to ASE Pro plugin endpoints originating from subscriber, contributor, or author accounts
- Correlate role change events with the user who initiated them to identify unauthorized escalations
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress audit logging to record all role and capability changes with timestamp and initiating user
- Monitor plugin update status across the environment to identify hosts running ASE Pro 7.6.2.1 or earlier
- Alert on creation of new administrator accounts and correlate against approved change requests
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-43333
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress installations running Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) Pro version 7.6.2.1 or earlier
- Update the ASE Pro plugin to a patched release provided by the vendor as referenced in the Patchstack advisory
- Review all user accounts for unauthorized privilege changes and revert unintended administrator assignments
- Rotate credentials for any account that may have been elevated during the exposure window
Patch Information
A fixed version of ASE Pro is available beyond 7.6.2.1. Administrators should upgrade to the latest release through the plugin's official update channel. Refer to the vendor and Patchstack advisory for the specific patched version.
Workarounds
- Restrict user registration on affected sites until the plugin is updated
- Temporarily deactivate the ASE Pro plugin if immediate patching is not feasible
- Limit access to the WordPress admin dashboard via IP allowlisting or web application firewall rules
- Enforce least-privilege role assignments and remove unnecessary low-privileged accounts
# Example: list users and current roles for audit via WP-CLI
wp user list --fields=ID,user_login,roles
# Example: revoke unauthorized administrator role
wp user remove-role <user_id> administrator
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
