CVE-2024-12562 is a critical vulnerability classified under CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data) affecting the s2Member Pro plugin for WordPress. The vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 241216 due to unsafe deserialization of data received from the 's2member_pro_remote_op' parameter. This parameter accepts serialized PHP objects without proper validation or sanitization, enabling unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary PHP objects into the application. While the plugin itself does not contain a known POP (Property Oriented Programming) gadget chain to directly exploit this injection for code execution or file manipulation, the presence of other plugins or themes on the target WordPress installation may provide such gadget chains. If a suitable POP chain is present, attackers could leverage this vulnerability to perform destructive actions such as deleting arbitrary files, accessing sensitive information, or executing arbitrary PHP code remotely. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without any authentication or user interaction, making it highly dangerous. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the vulnerability’s critical impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with its ease of exploitation. No official patches or fixes have been linked yet, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability was reserved in December 2024 and published in February 2025 by Wordfence, a reputable security source. Given the widespread use of WordPress and s2Member Pro for membership and subscription management, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites relying on this plugin.

The impact of CVE-2024-12562 is severe for organizations using the s2Member Pro plugin on WordPress sites. Exploitation can lead to complete compromise of the affected web server, including unauthorized access to sensitive user data, deletion or modification of critical files, and remote code execution that could allow attackers to deploy backdoors or pivot within the network. This can result in data breaches, service outages, defacement, or use of compromised servers for further attacks such as phishing or malware distribution. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication and no user interaction, any publicly accessible WordPress site with the vulnerable plugin is at immediate risk. The potential for cascading effects is high if attackers leverage this vulnerability to gain persistent access or move laterally within an organization’s infrastructure. The absence of a built-in POP chain in the plugin means exploitation depends on the presence of other vulnerable components, but given the common use of multiple plugins and themes in WordPress environments, this risk is non-trivial. Organizations with e-commerce, membership, or subscription-based WordPress sites are particularly vulnerable, as compromise could lead to financial fraud, identity theft, and reputational damage.

1. Immediately update the s2Member Pro plugin to a patched version once available from the vendor. Monitor official WP Sharks and WordPress plugin repositories for updates. 2. Until a patch is released, implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block or sanitize requests containing the 's2member_pro_remote_op' parameter, especially those with serialized data payloads. 3. Conduct an audit of installed plugins and themes to identify and remove or update any that may provide POP gadget chains exploitable in conjunction with this vulnerability. 4. Restrict access to the WordPress admin and plugin endpoints by IP whitelisting or VPN to reduce exposure. 5. Employ runtime application self-protection (RASP) or PHP security extensions that detect and block unsafe deserialization attempts. 6. Regularly back up website data and configurations to enable rapid recovery in case of compromise. 7. Monitor web server and application logs for suspicious activity related to deserialization or unusual parameter usage. 8. Educate development and security teams about the risks of unsafe deserialization and the importance of input validation and secure coding practices. 9. Consider isolating WordPress instances in segmented network zones to limit lateral movement if compromised. 10. Engage with security vendors or services that provide virtual patching or intrusion detection for WordPress environments.