CVE-2024-49611: Paxman Product Website Showcase RCE Flaw

CVE-2024-49611 Overview

CVE-2024-49611 is an Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerability affecting the Product Website Showcase WordPress plugin developed by paxmanpwnz. This security flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files, including web shells, to vulnerable WordPress installations. The vulnerability exists in all versions of the plugin through version 1.0.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables remote attackers to upload and execute malicious web shells on affected WordPress servers, potentially leading to complete site compromise, data theft, and use of the server for further attacks.

Affected Products

• Product Website Showcase WordPress Plugin version 1.0 and earlier
• WordPress installations with the product-websites-showcase plugin enabled
• paxman product_website_showcase

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-10-20 - CVE-2024-49611 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-49611

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability (CWE-434: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type) stems from insufficient validation of uploaded file types in the Product Website Showcase plugin. The plugin fails to properly verify that uploaded files are of an expected and safe type, allowing attackers to bypass any intended restrictions and upload executable PHP files or other dangerous file types directly to the web server.

When exploited, an attacker can upload a web shell—a malicious script that provides remote administrative access to the server. Once the web shell is in place, the attacker can execute arbitrary commands, browse the file system, access databases, steal sensitive information, modify website content, or use the compromised server as a launching point for attacks against other systems.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-49611 is the lack of proper file type validation and sanitization in the plugin's file upload functionality. The plugin does not implement adequate server-side checks to verify that uploaded files match expected MIME types or file extensions. Additionally, there appears to be no authentication requirement for accessing the vulnerable upload endpoint, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to exploit this flaw without any prior access to the WordPress installation.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based and requires no user interaction or authentication. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable upload endpoint, including a malicious PHP file disguised or directly named with an executable extension.

The attack typically involves:

1. Identifying a WordPress site running the vulnerable Product Website Showcase plugin
2. Crafting a malicious PHP web shell payload
3. Uploading the web shell through the unprotected file upload functionality
4. Accessing the uploaded web shell via its URL on the target server
5. Executing arbitrary commands through the web shell interface

For detailed technical information, refer to the Patchstack security advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-49611

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected PHP files appearing in WordPress upload directories or plugin folders
• Web server access logs showing requests to unfamiliar PHP files in the product-websites-showcase plugin directory
• Suspicious POST requests to the plugin's file upload endpoints from unknown IP addresses
• Unusual process execution or outbound network connections originating from the web server

Detection Strategies

• Monitor WordPress file system integrity for new or modified PHP files in plugin directories
• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block web shell upload attempts
• Review web server access logs for suspicious file upload requests targeting the Product Website Showcase plugin
• Deploy file integrity monitoring solutions to alert on unexpected file changes in WordPress installations

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on WordPress and the underlying web server to capture upload activity
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on known web shell signatures and patterns
• Implement real-time file system monitoring on web-accessible directories
• Regularly audit installed WordPress plugins and verify their integrity against known-good versions

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-49611

Immediate Actions Required

• Immediately deactivate and remove the Product Website Showcase plugin from all WordPress installations
• Audit WordPress installations for any signs of compromise or unauthorized file uploads
• Scan the web server for known web shell signatures and remove any malicious files discovered
• Review server logs to determine if the vulnerability has already been exploited
• Consider restoring WordPress installations from known-good backups if compromise is suspected

Patch Information

As of the last update, no official patch has been released for this vulnerability. The vulnerable plugin (Product Website Showcase version 1.0 and earlier) should be removed from WordPress installations immediately. Website administrators should monitor the Patchstack vulnerability database for updates regarding any potential fixes or vendor responses.

Workarounds

• Remove or deactivate the Product Website Showcase plugin until a security patch is available
• Implement WAF rules to block file upload requests to the plugin's endpoints
• Restrict access to WordPress admin and plugin directories using server-level access controls
• Use WordPress security plugins that provide file upload filtering and malware scanning capabilities

# Disable the vulnerable plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin deactivate product-websites-showcase --path=/var/www/html/wordpress

# Remove the plugin entirely
wp plugin delete product-websites-showcase --path=/var/www/html/wordpress

# Scan for potential web shells in upload directories
find /var/www/html/wordpress/wp-content -name "*.php" -type f -mtime -7 -exec ls -la {} \;