CVE-2024-52500: Monetag Plugin Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-52500 Overview

CVE-2024-52500 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the Monetag Official Plugin for WordPress, developed by monetagwp. The flaw affects all versions of the monetag-official plugin up to and including 1.1.3. Attackers can exploit incorrectly configured access control security levels to invoke plugin functionality without proper authorization checks. The weakness is classified under [CWE-862] Missing Authorization. Because the plugin executes within a WordPress instance reachable over the network, exploitation requires no authentication and no user interaction.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated network attackers can reach restricted plugin functions, modify monetization settings, and impact integrity and availability of WordPress sites running the Monetag Official Plugin <= 1.1.3.

Affected Products

Monetag Official Plugin (monetag-official) for WordPress
All versions from initial release through 1.1.3
WordPress sites with the plugin installed and activated

Discovery Timeline

2025-02-14 - CVE-2024-52500 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-52500

Vulnerability Analysis

The Monetag Official Plugin exposes one or more action handlers without verifying the caller's privileges. WordPress plugins typically guard sensitive endpoints with current_user_can() capability checks and nonce validation via check_ajax_referer() or wp_verify_nonce(). The vulnerable plugin code omits or incorrectly applies these controls. As a result, the access control security level enforced at the function boundary does not match the sensitivity of the operation behind it. An unauthenticated requester reaching the registered AJAX or REST endpoint receives the same execution path as an administrator.

The issue affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited degree, with scope change indicating that the impact extends beyond the vulnerable component. The vulnerability has an EPSS probability of 0.098%, reflecting limited current exploitation activity in the wild.

Root Cause

The root cause is a missing or insufficient authorization check on plugin actions. The handler relies on the request reaching the endpoint as proof of permission rather than verifying the caller's WordPress role, capability, or nonce. This pattern aligns with [CWE-862] Missing Authorization, where security-sensitive operations execute without confirming that the principal is allowed to perform them.

Attack Vector

An attacker sends a crafted HTTP request directly to the exposed plugin endpoint on a target WordPress site. No credentials, session cookies, or social engineering are required. The request invokes the protected plugin functionality and modifies monetization or configuration state. Because the attack vector is network-based with low complexity, automated scanners can mass-target WordPress installations running vulnerable versions of monetag-official.

See the Patchstack Vulnerability Report for the disclosed technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-52500

Indicators of Compromise

Unauthenticated POST requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or wp-json/ endpoints referencing Monetag plugin actions
Unexpected modifications to Monetag plugin settings in the wp_options table
HTTP requests with action= parameters tied to Monetag handlers originating from non-administrator IP addresses
New or altered ad code injected into pages served by the WordPress site

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server access logs for high-volume requests targeting admin-ajax.php with Monetag-specific action names from anonymous sources
Compare current plugin settings against a known-good baseline to identify unauthorized configuration changes
Audit WordPress activity logs for option updates correlated with unauthenticated sessions

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule set that blocks unauthenticated access to plugin AJAX and REST endpoints
Forward WordPress access and audit logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation against known exploitation patterns
Alert on unexpected changes to plugin settings tables and on outbound requests to attacker-controlled monetization domains

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-52500

Immediate Actions Required

Update the Monetag Official Plugin to a version newer than 1.1.3 as soon as a patched release is available from the vendor
Deactivate and remove the monetag-official plugin on sites that do not require it until a fixed version is installed
Review WordPress administrator accounts and plugin configuration for unauthorized modifications

Patch Information

The vulnerability affects Monetag Official Plugin versions up to and including 1.1.3. Site operators should monitor the Patchstack Vulnerability Report and the official plugin listing for a vendor-supplied fix that adds capability and nonce verification to the affected handlers.

Workarounds

Restrict access to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php and wp-json/ endpoints by IP allowlist where feasible
Deploy WAF rules that block unauthenticated requests carrying Monetag-specific action parameters
Disable the plugin until a patched release is verified in a staging environment

bash

# Configuration example: Apache .htaccess rule restricting unauthenticated Monetag AJAX actions
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
  RewriteEngine On
  RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (^|&)action=monetag [NC]
  RewriteCond %{HTTP_COOKIE} !wordpress_logged_in_ [NC]
  RewriteRule ^wp-admin/admin-ajax\.php$ - [F,L]
</IfModule>