The GS Insever Portfolio plugin for WordPress suffers from a missing authorization vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-12249 (CWE-862). Specifically, the save_settings() function lacks a capability check, allowing any authenticated user with at least Subscriber-level privileges to modify the plugin's CSS settings. This vulnerability arises because the plugin fails to verify whether the user has the appropriate permissions before saving configuration changes. Since WordPress Subscriber roles typically have minimal privileges, this vulnerability expands the attack surface by enabling low-privileged users to alter visual aspects of the website through CSS injection or modification. Although the vulnerability does not allow direct code execution or data exfiltration, unauthorized CSS changes can be leveraged for UI manipulation, phishing, or to facilitate further attacks such as cross-site scripting (XSS) if combined with other vulnerabilities. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting the network attack vector, low attack complexity, and the requirement for authenticated privileges but no user interaction. The vulnerability affects all versions of the plugin up to 1.4.5, with no patches currently available. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the risk remains due to the widespread use of WordPress and the plugin's presence in various websites.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-12249 is unauthorized integrity modification of the plugin's CSS settings by low-privileged authenticated users. This can lead to visual defacement, UI redressing, or phishing attempts by altering the appearance of the affected website. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity compromise can undermine user trust and potentially facilitate further attacks such as social engineering or cross-site scripting if combined with other vulnerabilities. Organizations relying on the GS Insever Portfolio plugin may face reputational damage, user confusion, or indirect security risks. Since the vulnerability requires authenticated access, the risk is limited to environments where untrusted users have Subscriber or higher roles. However, many WordPress sites allow user registrations with Subscriber roles, increasing exposure. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits targeting this flaw.

To mitigate CVE-2024-12249, organizations should first verify if they use the GS Insever Portfolio plugin and identify the version in use. Since no official patches are currently available, administrators should restrict user roles and permissions to prevent untrusted users from having Subscriber-level or higher access. Implementing stricter user registration policies or disabling new user registrations can reduce exposure. Additionally, applying web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block unauthorized POST requests to the plugin's save_settings() endpoint can help mitigate exploitation attempts. Monitoring logs for unusual changes to plugin settings or CSS files is recommended to detect potential exploitation. Once a patch is released, promptly update the plugin to the fixed version. As a longer-term measure, consider using alternative plugins with better security practices or custom solutions that enforce proper authorization checks. Regular security audits and role reviews in WordPress environments are essential to minimize risks from similar vulnerabilities.