CVE-2024-9933
Published: 26 October 2024
Summary
CVE-2024-9933 is a critical-severity Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel (CWE-288) vulnerability in Wordpress (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, ranked in the top 2.7% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
The WatchTowerHQ plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authentication bypass in versions up to and including 3.10.1. The issue stems from an empty default value for the watchtower_ota_token setting combined with a missing emptiness check inside the Password_Less_Access::login function, which permits unauthorized access to the plugin's administrative interface.
Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit the flaw over the network to log in directly as the WatchTowerHQ client administrator user, achieving full control over the affected WordPress site without any credentials or user interaction. The vulnerability carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8 and is classified under CWE-288.
Public references point to a code-level fix committed in changeset 3177064 of the plugin repository, along with analysis from Wordfence that details the affected Password_Less_Access.php file at line 56 in version 3.9.6.
The associated EPSS score stands at 0.3725 with no material increase from a lower baseline.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2024-50221
Vulnerability details
The WatchTowerHQ plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authentication bypass in versions up to, and including, 3.10.1. This is due to the 'watchtower_ota_token' default value is empty, and the not empty check is missing in the 'Password_Less_Access::login' function. This makes…
more
it possible for unauthenticated attackers to log in to the WatchTowerHQ client administrator user.
- 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.