CVE-2024-1133 is a vulnerability identified in the Tutor LMS plugin for WordPress, a widely used eLearning and online course management solution. The flaw is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) and affects all versions up to and including 2.6.0. The root cause is the absence of proper capability checks when authenticated users interact with questions in courses. This missing authorization allows users with subscriber-level privileges or higher to access Q&A content in courses they are not enrolled in, including private courses that should be restricted. The vulnerability does not require any user interaction beyond authentication and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting low impact on confidentiality (partial disclosure of restricted content), no impact on integrity or availability, low attack complexity, and the requirement for authenticated access. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability poses a risk to the confidentiality of course content and potentially sensitive educational materials. The issue is specific to the Tutor LMS plugin, which is popular among educational institutions and online course providers using WordPress.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-1133 is unauthorized disclosure of restricted Q&A content within online courses managed by Tutor LMS. This can lead to leakage of sensitive educational materials, proprietary course content, or private student interactions. Organizations relying on Tutor LMS for confidential training or proprietary knowledge sharing may face intellectual property exposure or privacy violations. Although the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, the breach of confidentiality can undermine trust in the eLearning platform and potentially violate data protection policies or contractual obligations. Attackers with subscriber-level access, which is a common baseline role in WordPress sites, can exploit this flaw, increasing the risk surface. The impact is especially significant for institutions offering paid or private courses where content exclusivity is critical.

To mitigate CVE-2024-1133, organizations should immediately upgrade Tutor LMS to a version where this vulnerability is patched once available. In the absence of an official patch, administrators should restrict subscriber-level access to trusted users only and consider temporarily disabling the Q&A feature or restricting it via custom code or access control plugins. Implementing additional authorization checks through WordPress hooks or filters can help enforce enrollment verification before allowing question interactions. Monitoring user activity logs for unusual access patterns to course content can aid in early detection of exploitation attempts. Regularly auditing user roles and permissions to minimize unnecessary subscriber accounts reduces the attack surface. Finally, maintaining a robust WordPress security posture, including timely updates of all plugins and themes, is essential to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities.