CVE-2024-12006

W3 Total Cache <= 2.8.1 Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Plugin Deactivation and Extensions Activation/Deactivation

2025-01-13 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 2.8.2
Affected Plugin: W3 Total Cache
Affected Version: <= 2.8.1
CVSS: 5.3Medium
Weakness type: CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE: CVE-2024-12006

At a glance

CVE-2024-12006 is a medium-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the W3 Total Cache WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.8.1. 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 2.8.2; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2025, reported by villu164.

Vulnerability Overview

The W3 Total Cache plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on several functions in all versions up to, and including, 2.8.1. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to deactivate the plugin as well as activate and deactivate plugin extensions.

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 W3 Total Cache <= 2.8.1 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 W3 Total Cache the fix is 2.8.2: builds <= 2.8.1 are affected, anything from 2.8.2 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 2.8.2, 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: W3 Total Cache 2.8.2 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-12006 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/329ad5dc-9339-4540-aba3-f21a78a74d4b https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-12006

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in W3 Total Cache

CVSS Vector

5.3

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone

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