CVE-2024-49327: Woostagram Connect RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-49327 Overview

CVE-2024-49327 is an unrestricted file upload vulnerability affecting the Woostagram Connect WordPress plugin developed by bepitulaz. This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to upload files with dangerous types, including web shells, to vulnerable WordPress installations. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of uploaded file types, enabling remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution on affected web servers.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can upload malicious web shells to WordPress servers running vulnerable versions of Woostagram Connect, leading to complete server compromise, data theft, and persistent backdoor access.

Affected Products

• Woostagram Connect plugin versions up to and including 1.0.2
• WordPress installations running vulnerable Woostagram Connect versions
• All web server environments hosting affected WordPress sites

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-10-20 - CVE-2024-49327 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-49327

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type). The Woostagram Connect plugin fails to properly validate file types during the upload process, allowing attackers to bypass security controls and upload executable files such as PHP web shells. Once uploaded, these malicious files can be accessed directly through the web server, providing attackers with remote code execution capabilities.

The attack requires no authentication, meaning any remote attacker with network access to the vulnerable WordPress installation can exploit this flaw. The impact is severe as successful exploitation grants attackers complete control over the web server, allowing them to execute arbitrary commands, access sensitive data, modify website content, and establish persistent backdoor access.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-49327 lies in the plugin's failure to implement proper file type validation during upload operations. The Woostagram Connect plugin does not adequately verify that uploaded files match expected safe file types (such as images), nor does it properly sanitize file extensions. This allows attackers to upload files with executable extensions like .php that will be processed by the web server.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based and requires no user interaction or authentication. An attacker can craft a malicious HTTP request containing a web shell payload and submit it to the vulnerable upload endpoint. The plugin accepts the file without proper validation, storing it in a web-accessible location. The attacker can then directly access the uploaded web shell to execute arbitrary commands on the server.

The attack flow typically involves:

1. Identifying a WordPress site running vulnerable Woostagram Connect versions
2. Crafting a malicious PHP file disguised or submitted as an allowed file type
3. Uploading the malicious file through the vulnerable endpoint
4. Accessing the uploaded file directly to execute commands

For detailed technical information about this vulnerability, refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Database Entry.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-49327

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected PHP files appearing in WordPress upload directories or plugin folders
• Web server logs showing requests to unfamiliar PHP files within the Woostagram Connect plugin directory
• Unusual outbound network connections originating from the web server process
• Evidence of command execution in web server error logs or system logs

Detection Strategies

• Monitor WordPress upload directories for newly created PHP or other executable files
• Implement file integrity monitoring on critical WordPress directories to detect unauthorized changes
• Review web server access logs for suspicious POST requests to Woostagram Connect endpoints
• Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block web shell upload attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure alerts for new file creation events within the wp-content/plugins/woostagram-connect/ directory
• Monitor for HTTP requests containing common web shell signatures or encoded payloads
• Implement logging and alerting on unusual process spawning from web server processes
• Regularly scan WordPress installations with malware detection tools

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-49327

Immediate Actions Required

• Immediately deactivate and remove the Woostagram Connect plugin from all WordPress installations
• Audit WordPress upload directories and plugin folders for any suspicious PHP files
• Review web server logs for evidence of exploitation attempts
• If compromise is suspected, restore from a known clean backup and rotate all credentials

Patch Information

As of the available information, no patched version of Woostagram Connect has been identified that addresses this vulnerability. The affected versions include all releases through 1.0.2. Users should remove the plugin entirely until a security patch is made available by the developer. Monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Database for updates on remediation options.

Workarounds

• Completely remove the Woostagram Connect plugin from WordPress installations until a patch is available
• Implement server-level restrictions to prevent PHP execution in WordPress upload directories
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to block file upload attacks
• Restrict network access to WordPress administrative endpoints using IP allowlisting

# Apache .htaccess configuration to prevent PHP execution in uploads
# Add to wp-content/uploads/.htaccess
<FilesMatch "\.php$">
    Deny from all
</FilesMatch>

# Nginx configuration to block PHP execution in uploads
location ~* /wp-content/uploads/.*\.php$ {
    deny all;
}