CVE-2024-44020: WP Free SSL Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-44020 Overview

CVE-2024-44020 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability [CWE-862] in the WP Free SSL WordPress plugin developed by prasadkirpekar. The plugin, which provides free SSL certificate provisioning and HTTPS enforcement for WordPress sites, fails to enforce proper authorization checks on sensitive plugin functions. The flaw affects all versions of wp-free-ssl up to and including 1.2.7. Authenticated attackers with low privileges can invoke restricted plugin actions over the network, leading to full compromise of site confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Critical Impact
Authenticated low-privilege users can bypass authorization checks in WP Free SSL to modify SSL/HTTPS configuration, potentially disrupting site availability and taking control of SSL enforcement behavior.

Affected Products

WP Free SSL – Free SSL Certificate for WordPress and force HTTPS plugin
All versions from n/a through 1.2.7
WordPress sites running the wp-free-ssl plugin by prasadkirpekar

Discovery Timeline

2024-11-01 - CVE-2024-44020 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-44020

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks on plugin functions exposed through WordPress AJAX or admin endpoints. WP Free SSL registers actions responsible for SSL certificate management and HTTPS enforcement without verifying that the calling user has sufficient capabilities. Any authenticated WordPress user, including low-privilege roles such as Subscriber, can invoke these endpoints.

Broken Access Control at the plugin layer allows callers to trigger administrative operations reserved for site administrators. Because the plugin controls SSL enforcement and HTTPS redirection, unauthorized changes can disable transport security, redirect traffic, or corrupt plugin settings. The attack requires network access to the WordPress site and valid low-privilege credentials, with no user interaction beyond the attacker's own session.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of capability checks such as current_user_can() and nonce validation via check_ajax_referer() on sensitive plugin handlers. WordPress plugins must gate privileged actions behind role checks; WP Free SSL registers callbacks accessible to any authenticated session without enforcing this control. This maps directly to [CWE-862: Missing Authorization].

Attack Vector

An attacker registers or compromises any low-privilege WordPress account on the target site. They then issue crafted HTTP POST requests to the plugin's registered AJAX actions or admin-post endpoints. Because the plugin does not verify the caller's role, the request executes with administrative effect. See the Patchstack advisory for full technical context.

// No verified public exploit code available.
// The vulnerability is triggered by authenticated HTTP requests
// to plugin AJAX endpoints that lack capability and nonce checks.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-44020

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected changes to WP Free SSL plugin settings, including SSL enforcement toggles and redirect configuration
POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php referencing wp-free-ssl action names from non-administrator sessions
New or modified .htaccess rules related to HTTPS redirection that do not correlate with administrator activity
Unexplained SSL certificate reissuance or replacement events logged by the plugin

Detection Strategies

Audit WordPress access logs for authenticated requests to plugin AJAX handlers originating from Subscriber or low-privilege accounts
Monitor wp_options table changes tied to WP Free SSL configuration keys for modifications outside administrator sessions
Correlate WordPress user activity logs with plugin configuration changes to identify privilege boundary violations

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable a WordPress audit logging plugin to capture all administrative setting changes and the acting user
Alert on any low-privilege account issuing POST requests to plugin admin endpoints
Track newly registered user accounts followed by activity against /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php within short intervals

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-44020

Immediate Actions Required

Update WP Free SSL to a version later than 1.2.7 once the vendor publishes a patched release
Disable the WP Free SSL plugin if a patched version is not yet available and manage SSL through the hosting provider or an alternative plugin
Restrict WordPress user registration and review existing low-privilege accounts for legitimacy
Rotate credentials for any accounts that may have interacted with the vulnerable endpoints

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no fixed version is listed in the NVD entry. The Patchstack advisory tracks the plugin's remediation status. Consult the Patchstack WordPress vulnerability database entry for the latest patched version.

Workarounds

Deactivate and remove the wp-free-ssl plugin until a fix is released
Enforce HTTPS through server configuration, such as Apache mod_rewrite or Nginx return 301 rules, instead of the plugin
Apply a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule to block unauthenticated and low-privilege requests to plugin AJAX actions
Limit access to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php by role using an access control plugin where feasible

bash

# Nginx server-side HTTPS enforcement as a plugin-independent workaround
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com www.example.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}