CVE-2024-13376 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management) found in the Industrial theme for WordPress developed by Anps. The flaw exists due to the absence of a proper capability check in the _ajax_get_total_content_import_items() function, which is accessible to authenticated users with subscriber-level privileges or higher. This function allows modification of arbitrary WordPress options without verifying if the user has the necessary permissions. Exploiting this vulnerability enables an attacker to alter critical site settings, such as changing the default role assigned to new users to 'administrator' and enabling user registration. Consequently, an attacker can create new administrative accounts or elevate their privileges from a low-level user to full administrator. The vulnerability affects all versions of the Industrial theme up to and including 1.7.8. The CVSS v3.1 score is 8.8 (high), reflecting the network attack vector, low attack complexity, required privileges of a low-level authenticated user, no user interaction, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. While no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability presents a significant risk due to the widespread use of WordPress and the Industrial theme in industrial and business websites. The lack of patch links indicates that a fix may not yet be publicly available, emphasizing the need for immediate mitigation strategies.

The impact of CVE-2024-13376 is severe for organizations using the Industrial WordPress theme. Attackers with minimal authenticated access can escalate privileges to full administrator rights, compromising the entire website. This can lead to unauthorized data modification, defacement, insertion of malicious code, and potential pivoting to other internal systems if the WordPress site is part of a larger network. Confidentiality is compromised as attackers can access sensitive site configurations and data. Integrity is affected due to unauthorized changes to site options and user roles. Availability may be disrupted if attackers disable or alter critical site functionality. Organizations relying on the Industrial theme for business operations, especially those in industrial sectors, risk reputational damage, data breaches, and operational disruptions. The vulnerability's ease of exploitation and high impact make it a critical threat that could be leveraged in targeted attacks or automated campaigns.

To mitigate CVE-2024-13376, organizations should first verify if they use the Industrial WordPress theme version 1.7.8 or earlier and restrict subscriber-level user access where possible. Since no official patch is currently available, immediate mitigation includes disabling user registration and removing or restricting subscriber-level accounts to trusted users only. Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious AJAX requests targeting the _ajax_get_total_content_import_items() function. Monitor WordPress logs for unusual option updates or new administrator accounts. Consider temporarily switching to a different theme or a custom theme without this vulnerability until a patch is released. Regularly audit user roles and permissions to detect unauthorized changes. Additionally, keep WordPress core and all plugins/themes updated and subscribe to vendor security advisories for timely patch releases. Employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all administrative accounts to reduce the risk of account takeover.