CVE-2024-13545

Critical

Published: 24 January 2025

Published

24 January 2025

Modified

05 February 2025

KEV Added

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Patch

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CVSS Score v3.1 9.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Score 0.0185 83.4th percentile

Risk Priority 21 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2024-13545 is a critical-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in G5Plus Ultimate Bootstrap Elements For Elementor. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 16.6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).

Deeper analysis

CVE-2024-13545 is a Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability affecting the Bootstrap Ultimate theme for WordPress in all versions up to and including 1.4.9. The flaw exists via the path parameter, which allows unauthenticated attackers to include arbitrary PHP files on the server, leading to the execution of PHP code within those files. Associated with CWE-22, it carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating critical severity due to its network accessibility, low complexity, and potential for high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely without privileges or user interaction. By manipulating the path parameter, they can include and execute PHP files, enabling bypass of access controls, theft of sensitive data, or code execution—particularly if PHP file uploads are possible elsewhere on the site. If the server has php://filter enabled, exploitation may directly result in Remote Code Execution (RCE).

Advisories and technical details are available from sources including the Wordfence threat intelligence page (https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/ae07af10-e5fc-4f28-a343-f56c0e2bc324?source=cve) and the vulnerable code location in the theme's documentation (https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/browser/bootstrap-ultimate/1.4.9/docs/index.php#L8). Security practitioners should consult these for specific mitigation guidance, such as updating the theme beyond version 1.4.9 if patches are available.

EU & UK References

🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-51665

Vulnerability details

The Bootstrap Ultimate theme for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 1.4.9 via the path parameter. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to include PHP files on the server, 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 in cases where PHP files can be uploaded and included. If php://filter is enabled on the server, this issue may directly lead to Remote Code Execution.

CWE(s): CWE-22 NVD-CWE-Other

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access

Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.

attack.mitre.org →

T1505.003 Web Shell Persistence

Adversaries may backdoor web servers with web shells to establish persistent access to systems.

attack.mitre.org →

Why these techniques?

LFI in public-facing WordPress theme directly enables remote exploitation (T1190) and arbitrary PHP execution via included files or filters, facilitating web shell deployment (T1505.003).

Confidence: HIGH · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v18.1