CVE-2024-13522 is a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability identified in the magayo Lottery Results plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 2.0.12. The vulnerability stems from missing or incorrect nonce validation on the 'magayo-lottery-results' admin page, which is intended to protect against unauthorized requests. Nonces in WordPress are security tokens used to verify that requests originate from legitimate users and prevent CSRF attacks. Due to this flaw, an unauthenticated attacker can craft a malicious request that, when executed by a logged-in administrator (typically by clicking a link or visiting a malicious page), causes the plugin settings to be updated or malicious web scripts to be injected. This can lead to unauthorized changes in plugin behavior and potential persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) if scripts are injected. The attack requires user interaction but no prior authentication, making it a significant risk especially for sites with administrators who might be targeted via phishing or social engineering. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.1 reflects a medium severity, with attack vector being network, low attack complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and scope changed due to potential impact beyond the vulnerable component. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity but not availability. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, and no known exploits in the wild have been reported. However, the widespread use of WordPress and this plugin in lottery or gambling-related websites increases the potential attack surface.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-13522 is unauthorized modification of plugin settings and potential injection of malicious scripts, which can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of affected WordPress sites. Attackers can manipulate lottery result displays or other plugin functionalities, potentially misleading users or redirecting them to malicious content. This can damage the reputation of organizations, lead to data leakage, or facilitate further attacks such as session hijacking or malware distribution. Since the vulnerability requires an administrator to be tricked into clicking a link, social engineering is a key risk factor. Organizations running lottery, gambling, or related websites using this plugin are at higher risk, as attackers may target them to disrupt services or defraud users. While availability is not directly impacted, the indirect consequences of injected malicious scripts can lead to site defacement or blacklisting by search engines. The vulnerability affects all sites using the plugin up to version 2.0.12, which could be numerous given WordPress's global market share. Without mitigation, attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain persistent footholds or manipulate site content.

To mitigate CVE-2024-13522, organizations should immediately update the magayo Lottery Results plugin to a version that includes proper nonce validation once available. Until a patch is released, administrators should restrict access to the plugin's settings page to trusted personnel only and avoid clicking on suspicious links or visiting untrusted websites while logged into WordPress admin. Implementing Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block CSRF attempts targeting the plugin's endpoints can provide additional protection. Site owners should enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrator accounts to reduce the risk of account compromise. Regularly auditing installed plugins for updates and vulnerabilities is critical. Additionally, administrators should review plugin settings for unauthorized changes and monitor site logs for unusual activity. Educating administrators about phishing and social engineering risks can reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation. If possible, temporarily disabling the plugin until a secure version is available can eliminate the attack vector.