CVE-2022-3846 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting versions of the Workreap WordPress theme prior to 2.6.3. The issue lies within the notifications feature of the theme, where the notification ID parameter is susceptible to brute-force attacks. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-639, which pertains to authorization bypass through user-controlled keys. Specifically, an attacker can manipulate the notification ID to access notifications belonging to any user, whether an employer or freelancer, without proper authorization. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction, and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting a high severity due to the ease of exploitation (low attack complexity), no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The impact is primarily on confidentiality, as unauthorized access to user notifications could expose sensitive information. However, the integrity and availability of the system are not affected. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of reporting, and no official patches have been linked, indicating that mitigation may require manual updates or workarounds. The vulnerability affects the Workreap theme, which is a niche product used to build freelance marketplace websites on WordPress, enabling employers and freelancers to interact. The flaw allows attackers to enumerate notification IDs and retrieve notifications of other users, potentially exposing private communications, project details, or other sensitive data contained in notifications.

For European organizations using the Workreap WordPress theme, particularly those operating freelance marketplaces or platforms connecting employers and freelancers, this vulnerability poses a significant confidentiality risk. Unauthorized access to user notifications could lead to exposure of sensitive business communications, contract details, or personal information, undermining user trust and potentially violating data protection regulations such as the GDPR. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the breach of confidentiality alone can result in reputational damage, legal liabilities, and financial penalties. Given the theme’s specific use case, organizations in sectors relying heavily on freelance work arrangements—such as IT services, creative industries, and consulting—may be more impacted. The lack of authentication requirement and ease of exploitation increase the risk of automated attacks targeting multiple installations. Since no known exploits are currently in the wild, proactive mitigation is critical to prevent future exploitation. Additionally, organizations may face challenges in detecting exploitation due to the subtle nature of unauthorized notification access.

1. Immediate upgrade of the Workreap theme to version 2.6.3 or later once available, as this version addresses the vulnerability. If an official patch is not yet released, consider temporarily disabling the notifications feature to prevent exploitation. 2. Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests attempting to enumerate notification IDs, such as repeated access attempts with sequential or random notification ID values. 3. Restrict access to the notifications endpoint by IP whitelisting or rate limiting to reduce brute-force attack feasibility. 4. Conduct a thorough audit of user notifications logs to detect any unusual access patterns or potential data leakage. 5. Educate site administrators and developers about the vulnerability and encourage prompt application of security updates. 6. For organizations with custom integrations or caching layers, ensure that notification data is not cached publicly and that access controls are enforced at all layers. 7. Monitor threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploits targeting this vulnerability to respond rapidly.