CVE-2024-44011 Overview
CVE-2024-44011 is a path traversal vulnerability in the ExpressTech Systems WP Ticket Ultra Help Desk & Support Plugin for WordPress. The flaw enables PHP Local File Inclusion (LFI) and affects all plugin versions up to and including 1.0.5. Attackers can manipulate file path parameters to include arbitrary local PHP files, potentially leading to source code disclosure, sensitive data exposure, or remote code execution when combined with file upload primitives. The issue is tracked under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation allows an unauthenticated attacker to include arbitrary PHP files on the WordPress host, exposing configuration secrets such as wp-config.php and potentially achieving code execution.
Affected Products
- ExpressTech Systems WP Ticket Ultra Help Desk & Support Plugin (wp-ticket-ultra)
- Plugin versions from initial release through 1.0.5
- WordPress sites running the vulnerable plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-10-05 - CVE-2024-44011 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-44011
Vulnerability Analysis
The WP Ticket Ultra plugin fails to validate or sanitize user-supplied input used to construct file paths passed to PHP include or require statements. An attacker can supply a crafted parameter containing directory traversal sequences such as ../ to escape the intended directory and reference arbitrary files on the server filesystem. Because PHP interprets included files as code, any included .php file executes in the context of the web server process.
The vulnerability is exploitable over the network and requires user interaction, according to the published CVSS vector. The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability because included PHP files run with the privileges of the WordPress process.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input validation on a file path parameter handled by the plugin. The plugin concatenates attacker-controlled input directly into a filesystem path used by PHP file inclusion functions such as include, require, or their _once variants. No allowlist, canonicalization check, or basename() sanitization is applied before the include call.
Attack Vector
An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to a plugin endpoint that accepts a file path parameter. The payload includes traversal sequences pointing to a target file on the host, for example ../../../../wp-config.php or any local .php file the web server can read. When the plugin processes the request, PHP includes and executes the referenced file. If the attacker can stage PHP content on the server, such as through log poisoning, session files, or uploads, the LFI escalates to remote code execution.
No verified public exploit code is available at this time. Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-44011
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP requests to WP Ticket Ultra endpoints containing traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2f, or URL-encoded variants in parameter values.
- Unexpected PHP errors or warnings referencing include() or require() with paths outside the plugin directory in error_log or debug.log.
- Web server access logs showing requests to plugin URLs followed by anomalous access to files like wp-config.php or /etc/passwd.
- New or modified PHP files in upload directories or theme paths shortly after suspicious plugin requests.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect WordPress access logs for query string parameters containing path traversal sequences targeted at wp-ticket-ultra endpoints.
- Deploy web application firewall rules that flag directory traversal patterns in requests to /wp-content/plugins/wp-ticket-ultra/.
- Correlate plugin request events with subsequent wp-config.php reads or PHP execution from non-standard paths.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging on the WordPress instance and forward logs to a centralized SIEM for analysis.
- Monitor file integrity on the wp-content directory tree and alert on unauthorized file creation or modification.
- Track outbound network connections from the web server process to detect post-exploitation callbacks.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-44011
Immediate Actions Required
- Disable or remove the WP Ticket Ultra Help Desk & Support Plugin until a vendor patch is verified and applied.
- Restrict access to WordPress administrative and plugin endpoints using IP allowlisting where feasible.
- Audit the WordPress installation for indicators of compromise, including modified core files, unknown admin accounts, and webshells.
Patch Information
No fixed version has been documented in the public advisory at the time of publication. Versions through 1.0.5 are affected. Site operators should consult the Patchstack advisory and the plugin vendor for updated release information.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and uninstall the wp-ticket-ultra plugin from the WordPress site.
- Apply WAF signatures that block path traversal patterns such as ../, ..%2f, and double-encoded variants on requests targeting the plugin path.
- Set PHP open_basedir restrictions to confine file inclusion operations to the WordPress document root.
- Disable PHP allow_url_include and review disable_functions to limit post-exploitation primitives.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
