CVE-2024-1733 is a vulnerability identified in the Word Replacer Pro plugin for WordPress, developed by charlestsmith. The issue stems from a missing authorization (CWE-862) in the word_replacer_ultra() function, which fails to verify user capabilities before allowing modifications. This flaw permits unauthenticated attackers—meaning no login or privileges are required—to update arbitrary content on the affected WordPress site. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.0 of the plugin. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3, with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality impact (C:N), low integrity impact (I:L), and no availability impact (A:N). This means an attacker can remotely and easily exploit the vulnerability to alter site content, potentially defacing the site or injecting misleading information. No patches or updates are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability is significant because WordPress powers a large portion of the web, and plugins like Word Replacer Pro are commonly used to dynamically alter site content. Unauthorized content modification can damage brand reputation, misinform users, or facilitate further attacks such as phishing or misinformation campaigns.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-1733 is on the integrity of affected WordPress sites. Unauthorized attackers can modify arbitrary content, which could lead to defacement, misinformation, or insertion of malicious content such as phishing links or malware distribution points. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity compromise can indirectly lead to reputational damage, loss of user trust, and potential downstream security incidents. Organizations relying on Word Replacer Pro for content management or dynamic text replacement are at risk of unauthorized content changes that could disrupt business operations or customer interactions. Since exploitation requires no authentication and no user interaction, the attack surface is broad, increasing the likelihood of automated exploitation attempts once public details become widely known. The lack of known exploits currently limits immediate risk, but the vulnerability remains a significant threat until remediated.

1. Immediately audit all WordPress sites for the presence of the Word Replacer Pro plugin and identify affected versions (all versions up to 1.0). 2. If an official patch or updated plugin version is released, apply it promptly. 3. In the absence of a patch, disable or uninstall the Word Replacer Pro plugin to eliminate the attack vector. 4. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block unauthorized requests targeting the word_replacer_ultra() function or suspicious POST requests attempting to modify content. 5. Restrict access to the WordPress admin and plugin endpoints using IP whitelisting or VPN access where feasible. 6. Monitor website content for unauthorized changes using file integrity monitoring or content change detection tools. 7. Educate site administrators about the risk and encourage regular plugin updates and security best practices. 8. Consider deploying Content Security Policy (CSP) headers and other hardening measures to reduce impact if content is modified. 9. Review server and application logs for signs of exploitation attempts and respond accordingly. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on immediate plugin-specific actions and compensating controls until a patch is available.