CVE-2024-12922 is a critical security vulnerability identified in the Altair WordPress theme developed by ThemeGoods, affecting all versions up to and including 5.2.4. The root cause is a missing capability check (CWE-862) within the theme's functions.php file, which fails to properly authorize requests that modify site options. This flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to update arbitrary WordPress options remotely. A particularly dangerous exploitation vector involves changing the default role assigned to new user registrations to 'administrator' and enabling user registration on the site. Consequently, attackers can create new administrative accounts without any authentication, leading to full site compromise. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8, reflecting its critical nature with network attack vector, no required privileges, and no user interaction. The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as attackers gain full control over the WordPress installation. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the simplicity of exploitation and the widespread use of WordPress and the Altair theme make this a significant threat. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on March 19, 2025, and no official patches have been linked yet, emphasizing the urgency for site administrators to apply mitigations or monitor for updates from ThemeGoods.

The vulnerability allows attackers to escalate privileges from unauthenticated users to full administrators on affected WordPress sites. This can lead to complete site takeover, including the ability to modify content, install malicious plugins or backdoors, steal sensitive data, deface websites, or disrupt service availability. Organizations relying on the Altair theme risk severe operational and reputational damage. Attackers could leverage compromised sites for further attacks such as phishing, malware distribution, or lateral movement within corporate networks. The impact is especially critical for businesses, government portals, and e-commerce platforms using this theme, as unauthorized administrative access undermines trust and compliance with data protection regulations. The ease of exploitation and lack of authentication requirements increase the likelihood of widespread abuse once exploit code becomes available.

Until an official patch is released by ThemeGoods, organizations should immediately disable user registration on affected WordPress sites to prevent attackers from creating administrative accounts. Administrators should audit the 'default_role' option in the WordPress database to ensure it is not set to 'administrator' and reset it to a safer default such as 'subscriber'. Restrict access to the functions.php file and other theme files by implementing web application firewall (WAF) rules that block unauthorized POST requests targeting theme options. Regularly monitor site logs for suspicious activity related to user registration or option changes. Consider temporarily switching to a different theme or restoring from a known clean backup if compromise is suspected. Once available, promptly apply official patches or updates from ThemeGoods. Employ the principle of least privilege for all WordPress users and enable multi-factor authentication for existing administrators to mitigate potential damage.