CVE-2024-50459: Hmplugin Aidwp Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-50459 Overview

CVE-2024-50459 is a critical Missing Authorization vulnerability affecting the AidWP (wp-stripe-donation) WordPress plugin developed by Hossni Mubarak. This Broken Access Control flaw allows attackers to exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels, potentially enabling unauthorized access to sensitive plugin functionality without proper authentication or authorization checks.

The vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks (CWE-862) within the plugin's codebase, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to bypass access controls and interact with restricted functionality. Given the plugin's role in handling Stripe donation processing, successful exploitation could have significant security implications for WordPress sites using this plugin.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit missing authorization controls to access restricted plugin functionality, potentially compromising donation data and site integrity.

Affected Products

• AidWP (wp-stripe-donation) versions up to and including 3.2.3
• WordPress installations running vulnerable versions of the AidWP plugin
• Sites utilizing the wp-stripe-donation functionality for payment processing

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-10-29 - CVE-2024-50459 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-50459

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as a Missing Authorization flaw (CWE-862) in the AidWP WordPress plugin. The core issue lies in the plugin's failure to properly implement authorization checks on sensitive operations, allowing attackers to bypass intended access controls.

WordPress plugins that handle payment processing, such as donation plugins integrated with Stripe, typically require robust authorization mechanisms to protect administrative functions and sensitive data. When these checks are absent or improperly configured, attackers can directly access functionality that should be restricted to authenticated administrators.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means that any attacker with network access to a vulnerable WordPress installation can attempt exploitation without requiring prior authentication, valid credentials, or user interaction.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-50459 is the absence of proper capability checks and nonce verification in the AidWP plugin. WordPress provides built-in functions such as current_user_can() and wp_verify_nonce() to validate user permissions and request authenticity. When plugin developers fail to implement these security controls on AJAX handlers, REST API endpoints, or admin functions, it creates broken access control vulnerabilities that allow unauthorized users to execute privileged operations.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, requiring no privileges, user interaction, or special access conditions. An attacker can craft malicious HTTP requests targeting the vulnerable plugin endpoints directly. Since the plugin lacks authorization verification, these requests are processed regardless of the requester's authentication status.

Exploitation typically involves:

1. Identifying WordPress sites running the vulnerable AidWP plugin version
2. Crafting requests to access restricted plugin functionality
3. Submitting requests without authentication to bypass access controls
4. Gaining unauthorized access to donation data or administrative functions

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

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-50459

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or unauthorized AJAX requests to AidWP plugin endpoints from unauthenticated sources
• Unexpected modifications to donation settings or Stripe configuration without corresponding admin activity
• Access logs showing repeated requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with AidWP-related actions from external IPs
• Database changes to plugin-related options without legitimate administrative sessions

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to monitor and filter suspicious requests to WordPress AJAX handlers
• Deploy file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized changes to plugin files or WordPress core
• Enable verbose logging for WordPress admin actions and AJAX requests to establish baseline behavior
• Utilize WordPress security plugins that provide real-time threat detection and access control monitoring

Monitoring Recommendations

• Configure alerts for AJAX requests containing AidWP action parameters from non-authenticated sessions
• Monitor HTTP access logs for unusual request patterns targeting /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php
• Set up database audit logging to track changes to wp_options entries related to the AidWP plugin
• Review Stripe dashboard for unexpected API calls or configuration changes that may indicate compromise

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-50459

Immediate Actions Required

• Audit all WordPress installations to identify sites running AidWP plugin version 3.2.3 or earlier
• Consider temporarily deactivating the AidWP plugin until a patched version is available or an alternative solution is implemented
• Review Stripe account activity and donation records for any signs of unauthorized access or manipulation
• Implement WAF rules to restrict access to sensitive plugin endpoints from untrusted sources

Patch Information

Organizations should check for updated versions of the AidWP plugin that address this authorization vulnerability. Monitor the WordPress plugin repository and the Patchstack vulnerability database for patch announcements. If no patch is available, consider transitioning to an alternative donation plugin with a stronger security track record.

Workarounds

• Implement server-level access controls to restrict AJAX endpoint access to authenticated administrators only
• Deploy a WordPress security plugin such as Wordfence or Sucuri that can enforce capability checks at the application layer
• Configure .htaccess or nginx rules to require authentication for requests to plugin-specific endpoints
• Use a virtual patching solution through your WAF to block exploitation attempts while awaiting an official fix

# Example: Restrict AJAX access to authenticated users in .htaccess
<Files admin-ajax.php>
    # Allow internal WordPress functionality
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from all
    # Consider additional IP-based restrictions for admin functions
</Files>