CVE-2024-12605 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability identified in the AI Scribe – SEO AI Writer, Content Generator, Humanizer, Blog Writer, SEO Optimizer, DALLE-3, AI WordPress Plugin ChatGPT (GPT-4o 128K) developed by opacewebdesign. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.3. The root cause is the absence or improper implementation of nonce validation on the 'al_scribe_content_data' actions within the plugin. Nonces in WordPress are security tokens used to verify that requests originate from legitimate users and not from malicious third parties. Without proper nonce checks, attackers can craft malicious requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator (e.g., by clicking a specially crafted link), can alter plugin settings without authorization. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), but does require user interaction (UI:R), and the impact is limited to integrity (I:L) with no confidentiality or availability impact. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which covers CSRF issues. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability poses a risk to WordPress sites using this plugin, especially those with administrators who might be targeted via phishing or social engineering. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, reflecting a medium severity level. The vulnerability was reserved on December 13, 2024, and published on January 9, 2025. No patches or mitigations have been officially linked yet, so users must rely on best practices and monitoring until updates are available.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-12605 is unauthorized modification of plugin settings by attackers who can trick site administrators into executing malicious requests. This can lead to altered SEO configurations, content generation parameters, or other plugin behaviors that may degrade website integrity or performance. While the vulnerability does not directly expose confidential data or cause denial of service, unauthorized changes can undermine trustworthiness, potentially introduce malicious content, or disrupt SEO strategies. Organizations relying on this plugin for content generation and SEO optimization may experience degraded site quality or reputational damage if attackers manipulate plugin settings. Since exploitation requires user interaction from an administrator, the risk is somewhat mitigated but remains significant in environments where administrators may be targeted via phishing or social engineering. The vulnerability affects WordPress sites globally, particularly those leveraging AI-powered SEO and content tools, which are increasingly common among digital marketing and publishing sectors.

To mitigate CVE-2024-12605, organizations should immediately monitor for updates or patches from the plugin vendor and apply them as soon as they become available. Until a patch is released, administrators should be cautious about clicking links or interacting with unsolicited requests, especially those that could trigger plugin actions. Implementing web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block CSRF attempts targeting the plugin's endpoints can reduce risk. Additionally, administrators should enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the likelihood of compromised credentials being exploited in conjunction with CSRF. Reviewing and limiting administrator access to trusted personnel reduces exposure. Site owners can also consider temporarily disabling or replacing the vulnerable plugin with alternative tools that have robust security practices. Regular backups and monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes will help in quick recovery if exploitation occurs. Finally, educating administrators about phishing and social engineering risks is critical to prevent the user interaction component required for exploitation.