The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-12538 affects the WordPress plugin 'Duplicate Post, Page and Any Custom Post' developed by binsaifullah. This plugin, widely used for duplicating posts and pages within WordPress environments, contains a flaw in its 'dpp_duplicate_as_draft' function that improperly restricts access controls. Specifically, authenticated users with Contributor-level permissions or higher can exploit this flaw to retrieve sensitive information from posts that are not publicly accessible, including drafts, scheduled posts, private posts, and password-protected content. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, indicating exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality only. The flaw does not affect data integrity or availability. Since contributors typically have limited publishing rights, this vulnerability expands their access beyond intended boundaries, potentially leaking unpublished or confidential content. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, but the issue is documented and published as of January 2025.

This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential content stored in WordPress sites using the affected plugin. Organizations relying on this plugin may inadvertently expose unpublished or restricted content to users who should not have access, such as contributors or other authenticated users with limited privileges. This can result in information leakage, loss of privacy, and potential reputational damage. For media companies, educational institutions, or businesses managing sensitive drafts or internal communications via WordPress, the exposure could have significant consequences. Although the vulnerability does not allow modification or deletion of content, the confidentiality breach alone can facilitate further social engineering or targeted attacks. The risk is heightened in multi-user environments where contributors are numerous and less trusted. Since the vulnerability requires authentication, external attackers must first compromise or register accounts with contributor-level access, but insider threats or compromised accounts could exploit this flaw easily.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should first check for updates from the plugin vendor and apply any available patches promptly once released. In the absence of an official patch, administrators can restrict Contributor-level user permissions temporarily or disable the plugin if duplication functionality is not critical. Implementing strict user role management and monitoring contributor activities can reduce risk exposure. Additionally, site owners can audit and limit access to sensitive content by adjusting WordPress visibility settings or using alternative plugins with better access controls. Employing web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the 'dpp_duplicate_as_draft' function may provide interim protection. Regular security reviews and penetration testing focused on user privilege escalation and data exposure scenarios are recommended. Finally, educating users about the risks of account compromise and enforcing strong authentication mechanisms will help prevent unauthorized exploitation.