CVE-2024-54365 Overview
CVE-2024-54365 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Knowhalim KH Easy User Settings WordPress plugin (kh-easy-user-settings). The flaw stems from incorrect privilege assignment [CWE-266] and affects all versions from initial release through 1.0.0. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can escalate to administrator-level access on the WordPress site. Exploitation requires no user interaction and can be performed over the network. Full site compromise follows successful exploitation, including content modification, plugin installation, and database access.
Critical Impact
Authenticated low-privilege users can escalate to administrator, resulting in complete WordPress site takeover including confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromise.
Affected Products
- Knowhalim KH Easy User Settings plugin for WordPress
- All versions up to and including 1.0.0
- WordPress installations with the kh-easy-user-settings plugin active
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-12-16 - CVE-2024-54365 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-54365
Vulnerability Analysis
The KH Easy User Settings plugin exposes functionality that permits authenticated users to modify account attributes beyond their assigned privilege boundary. Because the plugin does not correctly enforce role validation on privileged operations, a subscriber-level account can assign itself elevated capabilities. The result is a vertical privilege escalation from any authenticated role to administrator.
Once escalation succeeds, the attacker inherits the full WordPress capability set. This includes arbitrary plugin and theme installation, PHP code execution through the theme editor, and unrestricted database read and write. The vulnerability requires low privileges, needs no user interaction, and is exploitable over the network.
Root Cause
The root cause is incorrect privilege assignment [CWE-266] within the plugin's user settings handler. The plugin accepts user-controlled input identifying the target role or capability without verifying that the requester holds sufficient permission to grant it. Authorization checks are either missing or incorrectly scoped, allowing low-privilege accounts to submit requests that WordPress then processes as legitimate role changes.
Attack Vector
Exploitation follows this pattern: an attacker authenticates to WordPress using any valid low-privilege account, such as a subscriber created through open registration. The attacker then issues a crafted request to the vulnerable plugin endpoint that updates their own user role or capabilities. The plugin processes the request without enforcing that only administrators may perform role reassignment. The attacker's session inherits administrator capabilities immediately.
Refer to the Patchstack Vulnerability Database Entry for advisory details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-54365
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected changes to the wp_usermeta table entries for wp_capabilities, particularly subscribers or contributors gaining administrator capability
- New administrator accounts created shortly after subscriber-level authentication events
- Plugin, theme, or file upload activity originating from user accounts that previously held only low privileges
- HTTP requests to kh-easy-user-settings plugin endpoints followed by role changes in the same session
Detection Strategies
- Audit the WordPress user table for accounts whose role changed without a corresponding administrative action log entry
- Monitor web server access logs for POST requests targeting /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or plugin routes with role or capability parameters
- Alert on WordPress set_role and add_cap events triggered by non-administrator sessions
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable WordPress activity logging plugins to capture role assignment, user creation, and capability modification events
- Forward WordPress and web server logs to a centralized SIEM for correlation across authentication and privilege change events
- Review installed plugins weekly against known-vulnerable plugin feeds such as Patchstack and WPScan
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-54365
Immediate Actions Required
- Deactivate and remove the KH Easy User Settings plugin from all affected WordPress installations until a fixed version is published
- Audit all WordPress user accounts and revoke any unexpected administrator or elevated-role assignments
- Rotate credentials for all administrator accounts and enforce multi-factor authentication on privileged users
- Restrict new user registration or set the default role to the lowest available privilege
Patch Information
No fixed version is identified in the advisory. The vulnerability affects all versions through 1.0.0. Consult the Patchstack Vulnerability Database Entry for updates on remediation availability.
Workarounds
- Remove the kh-easy-user-settings plugin directory from wp-content/plugins/ as the primary mitigation
- Deploy a Web Application Firewall rule to block requests to plugin endpoints containing role or capability parameters from non-administrator sessions
- Disable open user registration in WordPress general settings to remove the low-privilege authenticated vector
- Apply virtual patching through WordPress security plugins that can filter requests to the vulnerable component
# Configuration example: disable open registration and enforce lowest default role
wp option update users_can_register 0
wp option update default_role subscriber
# Remove the vulnerable plugin
wp plugin deactivate kh-easy-user-settings
wp plugin delete kh-easy-user-settings
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
