CVE-2024-13439 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the 'Team – Team Members Showcase Plugin' for WordPress, developed by techlabpro1. The issue arises because the response() function lacks a proper capability check, which is a security control that verifies whether a user has the necessary permissions to perform an action. This missing check allows any authenticated user with at least Subscriber-level privileges to update the plugin's settings, which should normally be restricted to higher privilege roles such as Administrator. The vulnerability affects all plugin versions up to and including 4.4.9. Since WordPress roles like Subscriber are typically assigned to users with minimal privileges, this flaw effectively enables privilege escalation within the scope of the plugin's configuration. The CVSS 3.1 score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based, requires low privileges, no user interaction, and impacts only integrity without affecting confidentiality or availability. No patches or exploits are currently documented, but the risk remains due to the widespread use of WordPress and the plugin. The vulnerability could be exploited remotely by authenticated users to alter plugin behavior, potentially leading to further attacks or misconfigurations.

The primary impact of this vulnerability is on the integrity of the affected WordPress plugin's settings. Unauthorized modification of plugin configurations can lead to misbehavior of the plugin, potential exposure of sensitive data if the plugin controls display or access to team member information, or could be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks within the WordPress environment. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or availability, unauthorized changes could indirectly facilitate other attacks or disrupt normal site operations. Organizations relying on this plugin may face risks of unauthorized configuration changes by low-privileged users, which undermines trust in site administration and could lead to reputational damage or compliance issues. Since exploitation requires authenticated access, the threat is limited to environments where untrusted users have Subscriber or higher roles, which is common in multi-user WordPress sites.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should first check for and apply any available updates or patches from the plugin vendor once released. In the absence of an official patch, administrators should restrict Subscriber-level and other low-privilege user roles from accessing or interacting with the plugin's settings or functionalities. This can be achieved by using role management plugins to tighten permissions or by custom code that enforces capability checks on the plugin’s endpoints. Additionally, monitoring and auditing changes to plugin settings can help detect unauthorized modifications early. Disabling or uninstalling the plugin temporarily may be necessary if the risk is high and no patch is available. Finally, educating site administrators about the risks of assigning unnecessary privileges to users can reduce the attack surface.