CVE-2024-12294 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) found in the Last Viewed Posts by WPBeginner plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.0.1. The flaw resides in the 'get_legacy_cookies' function, which improperly exposes sensitive information by allowing unauthenticated users to access data that should be restricted. This includes titles and permalinks of posts that are private, password-protected, pending approval, or still in draft status. Because the vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, it can be exploited remotely by any attacker with network access to the WordPress site. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality by leaking sensitive content but does not affect data integrity or availability. The CVSS v3.1 score is 5.3 (medium severity), reflecting the ease of exploitation and limited impact scope. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the exposure of unpublished or restricted content can have privacy and operational repercussions. The vulnerability is relevant to any WordPress site using this plugin, which is a niche but potentially widely deployed component in WordPress ecosystems.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-12294 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive content from WordPress sites using the vulnerable plugin. This can lead to privacy violations, leakage of confidential business or personal information, and potential reputational damage. Organizations relying on private or draft posts for internal communication, editorial workflows, or sensitive announcements risk unintended exposure. While the vulnerability does not allow modification or deletion of content, the confidentiality breach can facilitate further social engineering or targeted attacks. The medium severity score reflects that the vulnerability is remotely exploitable without authentication, increasing the attack surface. However, the scope is limited to sites using this specific plugin, which may reduce the overall global impact. Still, given WordPress’s widespread use, many organizations worldwide could be affected if they have installed this plugin and have sensitive unpublished content.

1. Monitor for an official patch or update from the plugin vendor (jottlieb) and apply it immediately once available. 2. In the absence of a patch, restrict access to the plugin’s functionality by implementing web application firewall (WAF) rules that block unauthenticated requests targeting the vulnerable function or related endpoints. 3. Limit access to private, password-protected, pending, and draft posts through WordPress role and capability configurations to ensure only authorized users can view such content. 4. Disable or uninstall the Last Viewed Posts by WPBeginner plugin if it is not essential to reduce attack surface. 5. Conduct regular audits of WordPress plugins for vulnerabilities and maintain an inventory of installed components. 6. Employ network segmentation and IP whitelisting to restrict access to administrative or sensitive areas of WordPress sites. 7. Monitor web server logs for unusual access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. 8. Educate site administrators on the risks of exposing unpublished content and best practices for plugin management.