The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-12606 affects 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. It is classified under CWE-862, indicating a missing authorization check. Specifically, the engine_request_data() function lacks a capability check, which means that authenticated users with Subscriber-level privileges or higher can modify plugin settings without proper authorization. This flaw exists in all plugin versions up to and including 2.3. The vulnerability allows unauthorized modification of plugin configurations, potentially altering SEO settings, content generation parameters, or AI behavior. The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.3 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based, requires low privileges, no user interaction, and impacts integrity but not confidentiality or availability. No public exploits have been reported yet. The vulnerability's root cause is insufficient access control within the plugin's code, which should enforce capability checks before allowing sensitive operations. This issue could be exploited by any authenticated user with minimal privileges, making it a significant concern for WordPress sites using this plugin. The lack of a patch link suggests that a fix may not yet be publicly available, emphasizing the need for interim mitigations.

The primary impact of this vulnerability is the unauthorized modification of plugin settings by low-privilege authenticated users. While it does not directly compromise confidentiality or availability, the integrity of the plugin’s configuration can be compromised. This could lead to altered SEO strategies, manipulated content generation outputs, or unintended AI behaviors, potentially degrading website quality or misleading site visitors. For organizations relying heavily on this plugin for content creation and SEO optimization, such unauthorized changes could disrupt marketing efforts, damage brand reputation, or introduce compliance risks if content is manipulated maliciously. Since exploitation requires only subscriber-level access, attackers could leverage compromised or weak user accounts to escalate their influence within the site. The vulnerability could also be used as a foothold for further attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations. Overall, the impact is moderate but significant for organizations dependent on the plugin’s integrity.

1. Immediately restrict Subscriber-level user capabilities and review user roles to ensure only trusted users have access to the WordPress backend. 2. Implement strict user account management policies, including strong password enforcement and multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of account compromise. 3. Monitor and audit changes to plugin settings regularly to detect unauthorized modifications quickly. 4. Disable or uninstall the AI Scribe plugin if it is not essential to reduce the attack surface. 5. Follow the vendor’s updates closely and apply patches as soon as they become available. 6. Consider deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the vulnerable function. 7. Limit plugin access by IP address or other network controls where feasible. 8. Educate site administrators and users about the risks of privilege escalation and the importance of role-based access control. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling authenticated user privileges and monitoring plugin-specific configurations.