wp-crontrol: Download of Code Without Integrity Check
CVE-2024-28850 is a high-severity download of code without integrity check vulnerability in wp-crontrol from Johnbillion, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected wp-crontrol versions: < 1.16.2. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.17% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of wp-crontrol you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnbillion | wp-crontrol | < 1.16.2 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
WP Crontrol controls the cron events on WordPress websites. WP Crontrol includes a feature that allows administrative users to create events in the WP-Cron system that store and execute PHP code subject to the restrictive security permissions documented here. While there is no known vulnerability in this feature on its own, there exists potential for this feature to be vulnerable to RCE if it were specifically targeted via vulnerability chaining that exploited a separate SQLi (or similar) vulnerability. This is exploitable on a site if one of the below preconditions are met, the site is vulnerable to a writeable SQLi vulnerability in any plugin, theme, or WordPress core, the site's database is compromised at the hosting level, the site is vulnerable to a method of updating arbitrary options in the wp_options table, or the site is vulnerable to a method of triggering an arbitrary action, filter, or function with control of the parameters. As a hardening measure, WP Crontrol version 1.16.2 ships with a new feature that prevents tampering of the code stored in a PHP cron event.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Download of Code Without Integrity Check
The product downloads source code or an executable from a remote location and executes the code without sufficiently verifying the origin and integrity of the code.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Perform proper forward and reverse DNS lookups to detect DNS spoofing.
- Encrypt the code with a reliable encryption scheme before transmitting.
- Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.
More Download of Code Without Integrity Check vulnerabilities (CWE-494)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Download of Code Without Integrity Check vulnerabilities
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
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