CVE-2024-10913 is a deserialization vulnerability classified under CWE-502 affecting the Clone plugin for WordPress, specifically all versions up to and including 2.4.6. The vulnerability arises from unsafe deserialization of untrusted input within the 'recursive_unserialized_replace' function, which processes serialized PHP objects without sufficient validation or sanitization. This flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to inject crafted PHP objects into the application. Although the plugin itself does not contain a known POP chain to facilitate exploitation, the presence of other plugins or themes that provide such chains could enable attackers to leverage this injection to perform malicious actions. Potential impacts include arbitrary file deletion, exposure of sensitive information, and remote code execution, depending on the capabilities of the POP chain available in the environment. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without authentication but requires some form of user interaction, such as triggering the vulnerable function via a crafted request. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8 reflects the high severity due to the broad impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with low attack complexity and no required privileges. No patches or official fixes are currently linked, and no active exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date (November 20, 2024).

The vulnerability poses a significant risk to organizations running WordPress sites with the Clone plugin installed. Exploitation could lead to complete compromise of the affected WordPress instance, including unauthorized deletion of files, leakage of sensitive data such as credentials or configuration files, and remote code execution allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the server. This could result in website defacement, data breaches, service disruption, and use of compromised servers as pivot points for further attacks within an organization's network. Given WordPress's widespread use globally, the vulnerability could affect a large number of websites, including those of small businesses, enterprises, and government agencies. The lack of authentication requirement lowers the barrier for attackers, increasing the likelihood of exploitation once a suitable POP chain is identified. The requirement for user interaction may limit automated exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where attackers can induce such interaction via social engineering or crafted HTTP requests.

Organizations should immediately audit their WordPress installations to identify the presence of the Clone plugin version 2.4.6 or earlier. If possible, update the plugin to a patched version once available. In the absence of an official patch, consider disabling or uninstalling the Clone plugin to eliminate the attack surface. Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block malicious serialized payloads targeting the vulnerable function. Restrict access to the WordPress admin and plugin endpoints to trusted IP addresses where feasible. Conduct a thorough review of other installed plugins and themes to identify potential POP chains that could be leveraged in conjunction with this vulnerability, and update or remove those components accordingly. Monitor logs for suspicious deserialization attempts or unusual activity indicative of exploitation attempts. Employ strict input validation and sanitization practices for any custom code handling serialized data. Finally, maintain regular backups and have an incident response plan ready to address potential compromises swiftly.