CVE-2024-38701

Academy LMS <= 2.0.4 - Missing Authorization

2024-07-11 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 2.0.5
Affected Plugin: Academy LMS
Affected Version: <= 2.0.4
CVSS: 2.7Low
Weakness type: CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE: CVE-2024-38701

At a glance

CVE-2024-38701 is a low-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the Academy LMS WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.0.4. It carries a CVSS score of 2.7 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The root cause is a missing authorization check on a reachable function. The issue is fixed in version 2.0.5; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed July 2024, reported by filime.

Vulnerability Overview

The Academy LMS plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of data due to a missing capability check on the quiz_attempts_permissions_check() function in versions up to, and including, 2.0.4. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with academy instructor-level access and above, to view quiz results of private quizzes.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no interaction from a victim user.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

Academy LMS <= 2.0.4 carries this weakness at quiz_attempts_permissions_check(), and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. A missing authorization check means a function is reachable by anyone who can reach the endpoint, because the code never asks whether the caller is allowed to perform the action.

Any user who can reach the endpoint gets to run an action reserved for higher-privileged roles, from reading protected data to changing settings or content. For Academy LMS the fix is 2.0.5: builds <= 2.0.4 are affected, anything from 2.0.5 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 2.0.5, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

Because it turns on account access, WordSec's login security is the relevant layer: role-based two-factor, captcha and brute-force limits raise the cost of getting the account this needs. None of that substitutes for the fix: Academy LMS 2.0.5 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-38701 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/1405d8e3-3aa8-4a32-ac55-a260eda3d68c https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38701

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in Academy LMS

CVSS Vector

2.7

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredHigh
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone

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