CVE-2024-13613 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the Wise Chat plugin for WordPress, developed by marcinlawrowski. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, indicating Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor. Specifically, all versions of Wise Chat up to and including 3.3.3 are affected. The issue arises because sensitive data, including file attachments shared within chat messages, are stored insecurely in the /wp-content/uploads directory. This directory is typically accessible via the web server, and due to improper access controls, unauthenticated attackers can directly access and download these files without any authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability was partially addressed in version 3.3.3, but the description implies that the patch may not be comprehensive, leaving some risk. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting a high severity level, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high confidentiality impact (C:H) but no impact on integrity or availability. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, but the ease of exploitation and the nature of the vulnerability make it a significant risk for WordPress sites using this plugin. The vulnerability allows attackers to harvest potentially sensitive or private information shared in chat attachments, which could include personal data, confidential business information, or other sensitive content, leading to privacy breaches and compliance issues.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive information through this vulnerability can have serious consequences. Many organizations use WordPress as a content management system, and plugins like Wise Chat are popular for real-time communication on websites. Unauthorized access to chat attachments could lead to leakage of personal data protected under GDPR, resulting in regulatory fines and reputational damage. Confidential business communications or intellectual property shared via chat attachments could be exposed, leading to competitive disadvantage or legal liabilities. The vulnerability's ease of exploitation without authentication increases the risk of automated scanning and data harvesting by malicious actors. This threat is particularly critical for sectors handling sensitive customer data, such as finance, healthcare, legal services, and e-commerce. Additionally, the breach of confidentiality can undermine trust in digital services and customer relationships. Since the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, the primary concern remains data confidentiality and privacy compliance.

European organizations using the Wise Chat plugin should immediately verify their plugin version and upgrade to the latest version beyond 3.3.3 where the vulnerability is fully patched. If an upgrade is not immediately possible, organizations should implement strict access controls on the /wp-content/uploads directory, such as restricting direct web access to this directory via web server configuration (e.g., using .htaccess rules for Apache or equivalent for Nginx) to prevent unauthorized file downloads. Additionally, organizations should audit the contents of the uploads directory for any sensitive files that may have been exposed and remove or relocate sensitive attachments to more secure storage solutions. Implementing web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect and block suspicious access patterns to upload directories can provide an additional layer of defense. Regular security scanning and monitoring for unusual access to upload directories should be established. Finally, organizations should review their data retention and sharing policies within chat applications to minimize sensitive data exposure and ensure compliance with GDPR and other relevant data protection regulations.