CVE-2024-13641 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor) found in the wpswings Return Refund and Exchange For WooCommerce – Return Management System, RMA Exchange, Wallet And Cancel Order Features plugin for WordPress. The issue exists in all versions up to and including 4.4.5. The vulnerability arises because sensitive files related to order refunds are stored insecurely within the /wp-content/attachment directory of the WordPress installation. This directory is accessible without authentication, allowing any unauthenticated attacker to enumerate and download sensitive attachments. These files may contain personally identifiable information (PII), financial details, or other confidential data related to customer orders and refunds. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.9 (medium severity), with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), high confidentiality impact (C:H), and no impact on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N). The attack complexity is high because the attacker must identify valid file paths or names within the attachment directory. No patches or fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. The vulnerability is significant for e-commerce sites using this plugin, as it exposes sensitive customer data to unauthorized parties, potentially leading to privacy violations and regulatory compliance issues.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-13641 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive customer and transaction information stored in file attachments related to order refunds. This can lead to privacy breaches, identity theft, and financial fraud if attackers obtain personally identifiable information or payment details. Organizations may face reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and potential legal or regulatory penalties, especially under data protection laws such as GDPR or CCPA. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach alone can have severe consequences for businesses relying on WooCommerce and the affected plugin. The ease of exploitation is mitigated somewhat by the high attack complexity, but the lack of authentication requirements means any attacker with network access to the WordPress site can attempt to exploit it. This vulnerability is particularly impactful for online retailers and service providers using this plugin to manage returns and refunds, as it directly exposes sensitive transactional data.

1. Immediately restrict access to the /wp-content/attachment directory by implementing proper web server access controls such as .htaccess rules or equivalent configurations to deny unauthenticated HTTP requests. 2. Move sensitive attachments outside the web root or store them in locations inaccessible via direct URL to prevent unauthorized downloads. 3. Implement authentication and authorization checks on any endpoints or directories serving sensitive files to ensure only authorized users can access them. 4. Monitor web server logs for suspicious access patterns targeting the attachment directory to detect potential reconnaissance or exploitation attempts. 5. Regularly audit and sanitize stored attachments to remove any sensitive information that does not need to be retained. 6. Keep the plugin updated and monitor the vendor’s announcements for patches or security updates addressing this vulnerability. 7. Consider deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to block unauthorized access attempts to sensitive directories. 8. Educate site administrators on secure file storage best practices and the risks of exposing sensitive data via publicly accessible directories.