CVE-2024-49272 Overview
CVE-2024-49272 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability [CWE-352] affecting the wpweb Social Auto Poster plugin for WordPress. The flaw impacts all versions from initial release through 5.3.15. An attacker can craft a malicious web page or link that, when visited by an authenticated WordPress user, triggers unintended state-changing actions on the target site without the user's consent. The vulnerability requires user interaction but no privileges on the attacker side, making it exploitable across the network against any logged-in administrator.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation can lead to high-impact compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected WordPress site through forged authenticated requests.
Affected Products
- wpwebinfotech Social Auto Poster plugin for WordPress
- All versions up to and including 5.3.15
- WordPress installations using the social-auto-poster plugin
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-10-20 - CVE-2024-49272 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-49272
Vulnerability Analysis
The Social Auto Poster plugin fails to validate the origin of state-changing HTTP requests sent to its administrative endpoints. WordPress provides built-in CSRF protection through nonces generated by wp_create_nonce() and verified by wp_verify_nonce() or check_admin_referer(). The vulnerable plugin omits these checks on one or more privileged actions. An attacker who can lure an authenticated administrator to a controlled page can force the browser to issue requests carrying the administrator's session cookies.
Root Cause
The root cause is a missing or improperly implemented anti-CSRF token on plugin actions that modify server state. Without a verified nonce tied to the user session, the plugin cannot distinguish between requests initiated intentionally by the administrator and those forged by a third-party site. This omission falls squarely under [CWE-352] Cross-Site Request Forgery.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires an authenticated WordPress user, typically an administrator, to interact with attacker-controlled content. The attacker hosts a page containing a hidden form or scripted request targeting the vulnerable plugin endpoint. When the victim visits the page while logged into WordPress, the browser submits the request with valid session credentials. The plugin processes the request as legitimate, allowing the attacker to modify plugin configuration, post unauthorized content, or perform other privileged actions chained to higher-impact outcomes.
No public proof-of-concept code is currently available. See the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-49272
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected configuration changes within the Social Auto Poster plugin settings
- Unauthorized social media posts originating from connected accounts
- Web server access logs showing POST requests to plugin endpoints with Referer headers pointing to external, unrelated domains
- Administrator session activity correlated with visits to unfamiliar third-party sites
Detection Strategies
- Audit WordPress and web server logs for plugin action requests lacking expected _wpnonce parameters or with Referer headers outside the site's own domain.
- Deploy a web application firewall rule to flag state-changing requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php and plugin handlers when origin validation fails.
- Inventory installed plugins and verify the Social Auto Poster version against the patched release.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor administrator account activity for anomalous configuration changes or content publication outside normal working hours.
- Enable WordPress audit logging plugins to capture plugin setting modifications with user attribution.
- Alert on outbound posts to social media platforms that do not correlate with scheduled or manually initiated content.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-49272
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Social Auto Poster plugin to a version released after 5.3.15 that includes the CSRF fix.
- If no patched version is available, deactivate and remove the plugin until a fix is published.
- Force re-authentication for all WordPress administrator accounts and rotate any credentials connected to social media services through the plugin.
Patch Information
Review the Patchstack Vulnerability Advisory for vendor remediation guidance. Apply the latest plugin update from the WordPress plugin repository and verify the installed version exceeds 5.3.15.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to the WordPress administrative interface using IP allowlisting at the web server or WAF layer.
- Require administrators to use isolated browser sessions or dedicated browsers when managing WordPress, reducing cross-origin request risk.
- Apply a WAF rule that enforces same-origin Referer and Origin header validation on requests to plugin endpoints.
- Disable the Social Auto Poster plugin on production sites until verification of the patched release is complete.
# Verify installed Social Auto Poster version via WP-CLI
wp plugin get social-auto-poster --field=version
# Update the plugin to the latest available version
wp plugin update social-auto-poster
# If no patched release is available, deactivate the plugin
wp plugin deactivate social-auto-poster
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
