CVE-2024-7381

Geo Controller <= 8.6.9 - Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Shortcode Execution

2024-09-04 21:33

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 8.7.0
Affected Plugin: Geo Controller
Affected Version: <= 8.6.9
CVSS: 5.3Medium
Weakness type: CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE: CVE-2024-7381

At a glance

CVE-2024-7381 is a medium-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the Geo Controller WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 8.6.9. It carries a CVSS score of 5.3 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 8.7.0; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2024, reported by Lucio Sá.

Vulnerability Overview

The Geo Controller plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized shortcode execution due to missing authorization and capability checks on the ajax__shortcode_cache function in all versions up to, and including, 8.6.9. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary shortcodes available on the target site.

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 privileges on the target site, and no interaction from a victim user.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

Reaching this weakness in Geo Controller <= 8.6.9 takes no account at all. 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 Geo Controller the fix is 8.7.0: builds <= 8.6.9 are affected, anything from 8.7.0 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 8.7.0, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

This one needs no account at all, which puts it outside what login hardening can reach; WordSec's login security narrows the account-level paths around it, and the firewall is what inspects the request itself. None of that substitutes for the fix: Geo Controller 8.7.0 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-7381 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/4ed7b13a-eec3-4035-8815-15228fb05af1 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-7381

Related records

Same weakness class

4.3CVE-2024-7380: Geo Controller Authenticated (Subscriber+) MenuCVE-2024-7380

Other vulnerabilities in Geo Controller

CVSS Vector

5.3

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

Base

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

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