CVE-2024-11911 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the WP Crowdfunding plugin for WordPress, developed by Themeum. The vulnerability arises from the absence of a proper capability check on the install_woocommerce_plugin() function action. This function is responsible for installing the WooCommerce plugin, which is a common e-commerce extension for WordPress. Because the authorization check is missing, any authenticated user with at least Subscriber-level access can trigger the installation of WooCommerce without having the necessary administrative privileges. This flaw affects all versions of WP Crowdfunding up to and including version 2.1.12. The vulnerability does not require user interaction beyond authentication and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, reflecting a medium severity level, with the vector indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, no confidentiality impact, limited integrity impact, and no availability impact. While WooCommerce is generally a prerequisite for WP Crowdfunding, unauthorized installation could allow attackers to manipulate plugin configurations or introduce further malicious plugins, potentially leading to privilege escalation or site compromise. No public exploits have been reported yet, and no official patches are linked at the time of this report. The vulnerability is primarily a risk in environments where multiple users have Subscriber or higher roles without strict role management or monitoring.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-11911 is the unauthorized installation of the WooCommerce plugin by users with Subscriber-level access or higher. This can lead to integrity issues, as unauthorized users might install or activate plugins that alter site behavior or introduce malicious code. Although WooCommerce is typically required for WP Crowdfunding, unauthorized installation bypasses intended administrative controls, potentially enabling privilege escalation or further exploitation through additional plugins or misconfigurations. The vulnerability does not directly affect confidentiality or availability but could be leveraged as a stepping stone for more severe attacks. Organizations with multiple authenticated users, especially those granting Subscriber or Contributor roles, face increased risk. The threat is more pronounced in environments lacking strict role-based access control or monitoring of plugin installations. Given the widespread use of WordPress and WooCommerce, the vulnerability could affect numerous crowdfunding and e-commerce sites globally, potentially impacting business operations and user trust.

To mitigate CVE-2024-11911, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately restrict Subscriber and other low-privilege user roles from accessing plugin installation functionalities by customizing WordPress capabilities or using role management plugins to enforce strict access controls. 2) Monitor and audit plugin installation and activation events regularly to detect unauthorized changes promptly. 3) Apply principle of least privilege by limiting the number of users with roles above Subscriber to only those who require it. 4) Temporarily disable or restrict the install_woocommerce_plugin() action via custom code or security plugins until an official patch is released by Themeum. 5) Stay informed about updates from Themeum and apply security patches as soon as they become available. 6) Consider implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious plugin installation attempts. 7) Educate site administrators and users about the risks of unauthorized plugin installations and enforce strong authentication mechanisms to reduce the risk of compromised accounts. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on role management, monitoring, and proactive restriction of vulnerable functionality.