CVE-2024-10542
Published: 26 November 2024
Summary
CVE-2024-10542 is a critical-severity Missing Authorization (CWE-862) vulnerability in Cleantalk Anti-Spam. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, ranked in the top 2.5% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
The Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized arbitrary plugin installation in all versions through 6.43.2. The flaw stems from an authorization bypass in the checkWithoutToken function that relies on reverse DNS lookups, allowing the plugin to process remote calls without proper authentication checks and exposing the site to CWE-862 issues. The vulnerability carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8.
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit the bypass over the network to install and activate arbitrary plugins. When another vulnerable plugin is present, this access can be chained to achieve remote code execution on the underlying WordPress site. The EPSS score rose sharply from a low baseline to a peak of 0.7563 on 2025-12-11 before receding to the current value of 0.4097, indicating increased exploitation interest after disclosure.
References point to a patched version of the plugin released via the WordPress repository, with code changes addressing the RemoteCalls.php logic that handled unauthenticated token checks. Site administrators should update to a version beyond 6.43.2 and review installed plugins for additional weaknesses that could be leveraged in combination with this issue.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-33435
Vulnerability details
The Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized Arbitrary Plugin Installation due to an authorization bypass via reverse DNS spoofing on the checkWithoutToken function in all versions up to, and including, 6.43.2. This makes…
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it possible for unauthenticated attackers to install and activate arbitrary plugins which can be leveraged to achieve remote code execution if another vulnerable plugin is installed and activated.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Requiring an access control policy ensures authorization checks are defined and applied for critical functions.
Reviews of access controls detect missing authorization checks on critical functions or resources.
Documenting permitted unauthenticated actions prevents missing authorization by making all exceptions explicit and subject to organizational review.
Requiring attribute association with information prevents authorization from being performed without necessary security or privacy context.
Mandating authorization prior to allowing remote connections addresses missing authorization for remote access.
Mandating authorization before wireless connections are allowed prevents missing authorization for wireless access.
The control requires authorization before allowing mobile device connections, directly mitigating missing authorization for system access.
Requiring approvals for account creation and specifying authorizations ensures authorization is not missing for system access.