CVE-2024-11585 is a path traversal vulnerability classified under CWE-22 found in the WP Hide & Security Enhancer plugin for WordPress, specifically in the file-process.php script. The vulnerability arises from improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, allowing attackers to manipulate file paths without proper validation. This flaw is compounded by a lack of authorization checks, enabling unauthenticated attackers to delete the contents of arbitrary files on the server hosting the WordPress site. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.5.1 of the plugin. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5 (high severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts integrity (I:H) but not confidentiality or availability. Exploiting this vulnerability can break website functionality or cause significant data loss by deleting critical files. No known public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability's characteristics make it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt WordPress sites or erase data. The lack of patch links suggests that users must monitor vendor updates closely or apply manual mitigations. Given WordPress's widespread use globally, this vulnerability poses a considerable risk to many websites relying on this plugin for security enhancement.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-11585 is the unauthorized deletion of arbitrary file contents on affected WordPress servers. This can lead to partial or complete site breakage, loss of critical website data, and potential downtime. For organizations, this may result in loss of customer trust, revenue, and increased recovery costs. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication and no user interaction, it can be exploited remotely by any attacker scanning for vulnerable sites, increasing the attack surface significantly. The integrity of the website's files is directly compromised, which could also facilitate further attacks if attackers delete security-related files or configuration data. Although availability and confidentiality are not directly impacted per the CVSS vector, the loss of data integrity and potential site outages can have severe operational and reputational consequences. Organizations running this plugin on public-facing WordPress sites are at risk of targeted or opportunistic attacks, especially if they do not apply timely mitigations.

1. Immediate mitigation involves disabling or uninstalling the WP Hide & Security Enhancer plugin until a vendor patch is released. 2. Monitor official vendor channels and WordPress plugin repositories for updates or patches addressing CVE-2024-11585 and apply them promptly. 3. Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting file-process.php or containing path traversal patterns (e.g., '../'). 4. Restrict file system permissions for the web server user to limit the ability to delete or modify critical files outside designated directories. 5. Regularly back up website files and databases to enable rapid recovery in case of data deletion or site breakage. 6. Conduct security audits and vulnerability scans focusing on plugin vulnerabilities and path traversal attempts. 7. Employ intrusion detection systems (IDS) to alert on anomalous file deletion or modification activities. 8. Educate site administrators on the risks of installing unverified plugins and maintaining up-to-date software. These steps go beyond generic advice by emphasizing proactive monitoring, access control, and layered defenses tailored to this specific vulnerability.