CVE-2024-9890
Published: 26 October 2024
Summary
CVE-2024-9890 is a high-severity Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (CWE-288) vulnerability in Wordpress (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 5.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
The User Toolkit plugin for WordPress is affected by an authentication bypass vulnerability in versions up to and including 1.2.3. The flaw arises from an improper capability check inside the switchUser function, which fails to enforce adequate authorization controls before allowing a user switch operation. This is tracked under CWE-288 and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8.
Authenticated attackers holding subscriber-level permissions or higher can exploit the issue to log in as any existing user account on the site, including administrators, thereby obtaining full access to administrative functions and data. The vulnerability may be a duplicate of CVE-2024-50503.
The referenced Wordfence advisory and WordPress plugin repository entries point to a fix that was applied in a later changeset, with the vulnerable code visible in the 1.2.3 tag of the UserSwitch.php file. The EPSS score has remained flat at 0.1452 with no material increase observed after disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-50185
Vulnerability details
The User Toolkit plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authentication bypass in versions up to, and including, 1.2.3. This is due to an improper capability check in the 'switchUser' function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level permissions…
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and above, to log in as any existing user on the site, such as an administrator. CVE-2024-50503 may be a duplicate.
- 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.
Authorizing remote access reduces the ability to bypass authentication via unauthorized alternate remote channels.
Users can identify logons via alternate paths or channels by reviewing the previous logon time.
Adaptive requirements can apply across access paths, reducing the ability to bypass authentication via alternate channels or paths.
Centralized IdPs close alternate authentication paths that enable bypass.
Enforces authentication for non-organizational users, making it harder to bypass via alternate paths or channels.
Requires authentication to occur exclusively over the isolated trusted path, directly preventing bypass via alternate or untrusted channels.