CVE-2024-50508: WooCommerce Product Design Path Traversal

CVE-2024-50508 Overview

CVE-2024-50508 is a path traversal vulnerability in the Chetan Khandla Woocommerce Product Design WordPress plugin. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to download arbitrary files from the underlying web server by manipulating file path parameters. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to and including 1.0.0.

The issue is classified under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory). It is exploitable over the network without authentication or user interaction, making it suitable for opportunistic mass scanning of WordPress sites.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can read sensitive files such as wp-config.php, exposing database credentials, secret keys, and other configuration data that enable full site compromise.

Affected Products

Chetan Khandla Woocommerce Product Design plugin for WordPress
All versions from initial release through 1.0.0
WordPress sites running WooCommerce with the woo-product-design plugin installed

Discovery Timeline

2024-10-30 - CVE-2024-50508 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-50508

Vulnerability Analysis

The woo-product-design plugin exposes a file download endpoint that accepts a user-controlled file path parameter. The plugin fails to validate or sanitize this input against directory traversal sequences such as ../ before passing it to file read operations. As a result, attackers can escape the plugin's intended directory and reference arbitrary locations on the WordPress host filesystem.

This class of arbitrary file download flaw typically allows retrieval of any file readable by the PHP process. On a standard WordPress deployment, this includes wp-config.php, which contains database credentials, authentication salts, and table prefixes. Attackers commonly chain credential disclosure with direct database access or wp-admin takeover for full site compromise.

The vulnerability has an EPSS probability of 1.02% (59th percentile), indicating moderate likelihood of exploitation activity in the near term. No public proof-of-concept exploit or CISA KEV listing exists at the time of writing.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing input validation on a file path parameter handled by the plugin's download routine. The plugin trusts client-supplied paths and does not enforce a whitelist of permitted directories, canonicalize the path with functions such as realpath(), or reject traversal sequences.

Attack Vector

An unauthenticated remote attacker sends a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable plugin endpoint. The request includes a file path parameter containing ../ sequences pointing to a target file outside the plugin directory. The server reads the file and returns its contents in the HTTP response. Refer to the Patchstack WordPress Plugin Advisory for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-50508

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to woo-product-design plugin endpoints containing path traversal sequences such as ../, ..%2F, or encoded variants
Unauthenticated GET or POST requests referencing sensitive filenames including wp-config.php, .htaccess, or /etc/passwd
Unexpected outbound responses containing PHP source code or configuration data originating from the WordPress host

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for requests to /wp-content/plugins/woo-product-design/ paths with suspicious query parameters
Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules matching directory traversal patterns against WordPress plugin endpoints
Correlate file access events on the web server with HTTP request logs to identify reads of sensitive files triggered by external requests

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable file integrity monitoring on wp-config.php and other sensitive configuration files
Alert on any administrative login from new IP addresses following exposure of the vulnerable endpoint
Monitor for database connections from unexpected hosts, which may indicate credential theft following successful exploitation

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-50508

Immediate Actions Required

Disable and remove the woo-product-design plugin until a patched version is confirmed available
Rotate all secrets stored in wp-config.php, including database password and authentication keys, if the plugin has been internet-exposed
Audit WordPress administrative accounts for unauthorized additions or modifications

Patch Information

No fixed version is listed in the advisory. The vulnerability affects the plugin through version 1.0.0. Administrators should consult the Patchstack advisory for updates on a vendor patch and remove the plugin in the interim.

Workarounds

Block requests to /wp-content/plugins/woo-product-design/ at the WAF or reverse proxy layer
Apply WAF signatures that reject path traversal sequences in query and POST parameters
Restrict the PHP process file system permissions so it cannot read files outside the WordPress document root

bash

# Example nginx rule to block traversal patterns targeting the plugin
location ~* /wp-content/plugins/woo-product-design/ {
    if ($args ~* "(\.\./|\.\.%2f|%2e%2e/)") {
        return 403;
    }
}