The NitroPack plugin for WordPress, widely used for caching and performance optimization, suffers from a missing authorization check vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-11848 (CWE-862). Specifically, the AJAX action 'nitropack_dismiss_notice_forever' lacks a capability verification, allowing any authenticated user with subscriber-level privileges or higher to invoke it. This flaw permits attackers to update arbitrary plugin options to a fixed value of '1', which can lead to unintended activation of features such as enabling user registration or modifying settings that may cause denial of service conditions. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.17.0. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 8.1, reflecting high severity due to the network attack vector, low attack complexity, and the requirement of only low privileges without user interaction. The impact is primarily on integrity and availability, as attackers can alter plugin behavior and potentially disrupt website functionality. No patches are currently linked, and no known exploits have been observed in the wild, but the risk remains significant given the plugin's popularity and the ease of exploitation once authenticated.

This vulnerability allows attackers with minimal privileges to escalate their influence by modifying critical plugin settings, potentially enabling features that should remain disabled or causing denial of service. For organizations, this can lead to unauthorized user registrations, which may be leveraged for further attacks such as spam, phishing, or privilege escalation. Additionally, denial of service conditions can degrade website availability, impacting user experience and business operations. Since NitroPack is used globally by many WordPress sites to optimize performance, the vulnerability poses a widespread risk. Attackers exploiting this flaw could compromise site integrity and availability, undermining trust and potentially causing financial and reputational damage. The requirement for authenticated access limits exposure but does not eliminate risk, especially on sites with weak user management or where subscriber accounts are easily obtained.

Organizations should immediately verify if they are using NitroPack versions up to 1.17.0 and plan to upgrade to a patched version once available. In the absence of an official patch, administrators can mitigate risk by restricting subscriber-level user capabilities, ensuring that only trusted users have authenticated access. Implementing strict user role management and monitoring for unusual changes in plugin options is critical. Additionally, disabling or restricting AJAX actions related to 'nitropack_dismiss_notice_forever' via custom code or security plugins can prevent exploitation. Regular audits of WordPress user accounts and plugin configurations should be conducted to detect unauthorized modifications. Employing web application firewalls (WAFs) to monitor and block suspicious AJAX requests targeting NitroPack endpoints can provide an additional layer of defense.