CVE-2024-53751 Overview
CVE-2024-53751 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability affecting the Build App Online WordPress plugin developed by hakeemnala. The flaw exists in all versions up to and including 1.0.23. An attacker can craft a malicious request that, when executed by an authenticated user, performs unauthorized state-changing actions within the plugin. The vulnerability is categorized under [CWE-352] and carries a network attack vector requiring user interaction. Successful exploitation can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected WordPress installations.
Critical Impact
An attacker can trick authenticated WordPress users into executing unintended actions, leading to full compromise of plugin functionality and potentially the broader site.
Affected Products
- Build App Online WordPress plugin versions up through 1.0.23
- Vendor: hakeemnala (buildapp)
- Deployment platform: WordPress
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-12-02 - CVE-2024-53751 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-04-23 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-53751
Vulnerability Analysis
The Build App Online plugin fails to validate the origin and authenticity of incoming state-changing HTTP requests. WordPress plugins typically defend against CSRF by issuing and verifying nonces on sensitive endpoints. The affected versions either omit nonce verification entirely or implement it incorrectly on one or more action handlers. An attacker exploits this by hosting a malicious page or sending a crafted link to an authenticated WordPress administrator or privileged user. When the victim visits the page or clicks the link, the browser silently submits the forged request to the WordPress site with the victim's session cookies attached. The server executes the request as if it originated from a legitimate user action.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or improper anti-CSRF token validation on plugin endpoints handling sensitive operations. WordPress provides wp_nonce_field() and check_admin_referer() primitives for this purpose, but the plugin does not enforce them consistently. This maps directly to [CWE-352]: Cross-Site Request Forgery.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires a victim with an authenticated session on the target WordPress site to interact with attacker-controlled content. The attacker delivers a crafted HTML form, image tag, or JavaScript payload that triggers a request to a vulnerable plugin endpoint. No prior privileges are required by the attacker, but social engineering is needed to drive the victim to the malicious resource. Refer to the Patchstack Plugin Vulnerability Advisory for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-53751
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected configuration changes within the Build App Online plugin settings without corresponding administrator activity in audit logs.
- HTTP POST requests to plugin endpoints with Referer headers pointing to external, untrusted domains.
- WordPress audit log entries showing privileged actions performed shortly after administrators visited unfamiliar URLs.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor web server access logs for state-changing requests to Build App Online plugin paths originating from cross-origin referrers.
- Inspect WordPress activity logs for plugin setting modifications that do not correlate with legitimate administrator workflows.
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) rule set that flags requests to the plugin lacking valid WordPress nonce parameters.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose logging on WordPress administrative endpoints and ingest the logs into a centralized analytics platform for correlation.
- Alert on administrator account activity occurring outside normal business hours or from unexpected geolocations.
- Track plugin version inventory across WordPress deployments to identify hosts still running vulnerable releases up through 1.0.23.
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-53751
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all WordPress instances running Build App Online and confirm the installed version against 1.0.23 or earlier.
- Restrict administrative access to trusted networks and require administrators to log out of WordPress when not actively managing the site.
- Educate privileged users to avoid clicking unsolicited links while authenticated to WordPress administrative consoles.
Patch Information
No fixed version has been confirmed in the available advisory data. Monitor the Patchstack Plugin Vulnerability Advisory and the WordPress plugin repository for an updated release from the vendor. If a patched version becomes available, apply it across all affected installations without delay.
Workarounds
- Deactivate and remove the Build App Online plugin until a patched version is published by the vendor.
- Deploy a WordPress security plugin or WAF that enforces nonce validation and blocks cross-origin POST requests to administrative endpoints.
- Use browser isolation or a dedicated administrative browser profile for WordPress management to limit exposure to malicious cross-origin content.
# Example: list and disable the Build App Online plugin via WP-CLI
wp plugin list --name=build-app-online --fields=name,version,status
wp plugin deactivate build-app-online
wp plugin delete build-app-online
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
