CVE-2024-52479 Overview
CVE-2024-52479 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Astoundify Jobify WordPress theme. The flaw affects all versions of Jobify up to and including 4.2.3, with a fix introduced in version 4.3.0. An attacker can craft a malicious web page that triggers unintended state-changing actions when an authenticated Jobify site administrator visits it. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery and carries network-based exploitation with user interaction required.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation lets an attacker perform privileged actions in the context of a logged-in Jobify administrator, leading to high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the WordPress site.
Affected Products
- Astoundify Jobify (WordPress theme) — all versions prior to 4.3.0
- WordPress sites running Jobify 4.2.3 and earlier
- Job-board deployments built on the Jobify theme
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-12-02 - CVE-2024-52479 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-52479
Vulnerability Analysis
The Jobify theme exposes one or more state-changing endpoints that do not verify the origin of incoming requests. Because WordPress relies on nonces and capability checks to validate sensitive actions, the absence of a valid nonce verification or referer check allows an attacker to forge requests on behalf of an authenticated user. The vulnerability requires user interaction, typically through a victim clicking a crafted link or visiting an attacker-controlled page while authenticated to the Jobify-powered site.
The vendor disclosure tracked on Patchstack Jobify Plugin Vulnerability confirms the issue spans versions through Jobify 4.2.3. The fix is included in Jobify 4.3.0.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or insufficient anti-CSRF protection on privileged Jobify request handlers. Specifically, request handlers do not enforce wp_verify_nonce() or equivalent token validation before executing state-changing operations. This category of flaw is classified as CWE-352.
Attack Vector
An attacker hosts a malicious page or distributes a crafted URL targeting a Jobify endpoint. When an authenticated administrator or privileged user visits the page, the browser silently submits the forged request with the victim's session cookies. The server processes the request as legitimate because no anti-CSRF token is validated. The attacker can then trigger configuration changes or other privileged actions exposed by vulnerable Jobify handlers.
No public proof-of-concept or exploit code is currently listed in NVD, ExploitDB, or CISA KEV for this CVE.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-52479
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected configuration changes within the Jobify theme settings or associated job-listing options
- Administrative actions in WordPress audit logs that originate from an external HTTP Referer header
- POST requests to Jobify endpoints missing the standard WordPress nonce parameters (_wpnonce, _ajax_nonce)
- New or altered job listings, user roles, or theme options that administrators do not recognize
Detection Strategies
- Inspect web server access logs for cross-origin POST requests targeting Jobify theme handlers and admin-ajax.php actions tied to Jobify.
- Correlate WordPress activity logs against the source Referer header to flag administrative actions initiated from third-party domains.
- Compare the installed Jobify version against 4.3.0 across managed WordPress estates to identify exposed instances.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable a WordPress audit-logging plugin to capture administrator-level state changes with full request metadata.
- Forward web access logs and WordPress event logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation across the estate.
- Alert on administrative HTTP requests where the Origin or Referer header does not match the site's own hostname.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-52479
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade the Astoundify Jobify theme to version 4.3.0 or later on every affected WordPress site.
- Review WordPress audit logs and Jobify configuration for unauthorized changes made before patching.
- Force re-authentication for administrator accounts and rotate any API keys or integrations tied to Jobify.
Patch Information
Astoundify addressed CVE-2024-52479 in Jobify 4.3.0. Administrators should apply the update through the WordPress dashboard or by replacing the theme files with the patched release. Refer to the Patchstack advisory for vendor confirmation of the fixed version.
Workarounds
- Restrict access to the WordPress administrative interface by IP allowlist at the web server or WAF layer until the patch is applied.
- Deploy a web application firewall rule that blocks state-changing requests to Jobify endpoints lacking a valid same-origin Referer header.
- Require administrators to use a dedicated browser profile for WordPress administration to reduce the chance of session reuse on attacker-controlled pages.
# Example WP-CLI command to upgrade the Jobify theme to the fixed version
wp theme update jobify --version=4.3.0
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
