CVE-2023-5519 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting the EventPrime WordPress plugin versions prior to 3.2.0. The vulnerability is classified as a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) issue (CWE-352). Specifically, the plugin lacks proper CSRF protections when processing booking creation requests. This absence of CSRF tokens or equivalent validation mechanisms allows an attacker to craft malicious web requests that, when executed by an authenticated user, cause the user’s browser to unknowingly submit unwanted booking requests to the EventPrime plugin. The vulnerability requires the victim to be logged into a WordPress site that uses the vulnerable EventPrime plugin. The attacker does not need any special privileges or authentication but does require the victim’s interaction, typically by visiting a malicious website or clicking a crafted link. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based (remote), with low attack complexity, no privileges required, but user interaction is necessary. The impact is limited to integrity, as attackers can induce unauthorized booking creations but cannot directly affect confidentiality or availability. There are no known exploits in the wild as of the published date, and no official patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was reserved on 2023-10-11 and publicly disclosed on 2023-10-31. The plugin is used within WordPress environments, which are widely deployed globally, including Europe. EventPrime is a booking and event management plugin, so affected sites are likely those managing event registrations or appointments.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability primarily concerns the integrity of booking data within WordPress sites using EventPrime. Attackers could manipulate booking records by forcing logged-in users to create fraudulent or unwanted bookings. This could lead to operational disruptions, such as overbooking events, resource misallocation, or reputational damage if customers receive incorrect confirmations. Organizations relying on EventPrime for critical scheduling or event management may face administrative overhead to detect and remove bogus bookings. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise sensitive data confidentiality or system availability, the integrity breach could indirectly affect business processes and customer trust. Public sector entities, educational institutions, and SMEs using EventPrime for event management in Europe might be particularly vulnerable if they have not updated the plugin. Given the medium severity and lack of known exploits, the immediate risk is moderate but could escalate if exploit code emerges.

1. Immediate upgrade: Organizations should update the EventPrime plugin to version 3.2.0 or later as soon as it becomes available, as this version is expected to include proper CSRF protections. 2. Temporary workarounds: Until an official patch is released, administrators can implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious POST requests targeting booking creation endpoints, especially those lacking valid CSRF tokens or originating from untrusted referrers. 3. User awareness: Educate users with WordPress accounts about the risks of clicking unknown links or visiting untrusted websites while logged into administrative or event management portals. 4. Access controls: Limit the number of users with booking creation privileges and enforce least privilege principles to reduce the attack surface. 5. Monitoring and logging: Enable detailed logging of booking creation events and monitor for unusual spikes or patterns indicative of automated or unauthorized bookings. 6. Harden WordPress security: Employ security plugins that add CSRF protections or enhance session management to mitigate exploitation vectors. 7. Segmentation: Where possible, isolate event management functions from critical business systems to contain potential impacts.