CVE-2024-6845
Published: 25 September 2024
Summary
CVE-2024-6845 is a medium-severity Missing Authorization (CWE-862) vulnerability in Webdigit Chatbot With Chatgpt. Its CVSS base score is 5.3 (Medium).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 4.1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
This vulnerability is AI-related — categorised as Enterprise AI Assistants; in the Privacy and Disclosure risk domain; MITRE ATLAS techniques in scope: AI Model Inference API Access (AML.T0040), LLM Prompt Injection (AML.T0051), Manipulate AI Model (AML.T0018).
Deeper analysis
The Chatbot with ChatGPT WordPress plugin before version 2.4.6 is affected by a missing authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) in one of its REST endpoints. The flaw allows unauthenticated access to an encoded key that can be decoded to expose the configured OpenAI API key, resulting in a CVSS 5.3 impact limited to low confidentiality loss.
Unauthenticated attackers reachable over the network can invoke the unprotected endpoint to retrieve and decode the key. Successful exploitation grants access to the victim's OpenAI API credentials, enabling unauthorized queries against the associated account without any user interaction or authentication.
The referenced WPScan advisory identifies the issue in versions prior to 2.4.6 and indicates that updating to 2.4.6 or later resolves the authorization gap in the affected REST endpoint.
The vulnerability is relevant to AI/ML deployments because it directly exposes credentials for OpenAI services. EPSS rose from a low baseline to a peak of 0.2988 on 2026-03-10 before receding to the current value of 0.2160, indicating that exploitation interest increased after public disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-47848
Vulnerability details
The Chatbot with ChatGPT WordPress plugin before 2.4.6 does not have proper authorization in one of its REST endpoint, allowing unauthenticated users to retrieve the encoded key and then decode it, thereby leaking the OpenAI API key
- CWE(s)
AI Security AnalysisAI
- AI Category
- Enterprise AI Assistants
- Risk Domain
- Privacy and Disclosure
- OWASP Top 10 for LLMs 2025
- None mapped
- Classification Reason
- The vulnerability affects a WordPress plugin (Chatbot with ChatGPT / SmartSearchWP) that integrates OpenAI's ChatGPT for AI chatbot functionality, classifying it as an enterprise AI assistant tool for websites.
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Unauthenticated access to REST endpoint discloses encoded (ROT13) OpenAI API key from plugin config, enabling exploitation of public-facing web application (T1190) and theft of application access token (T1528).
MITRE ATLAS TechniquesAI
MITRE ATLAS techniques
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.