CVE-2024-23825 is a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability identified in the TablePress plugin for WordPress, specifically in versions prior to 2.2.5. TablePress allows users to import tables by specifying a URL from which the plugin fetches data via HTTP requests. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient filtering and validation of the user-supplied URL input. This flaw enables an attacker to craft malicious URLs that cause the server hosting the WordPress site to send HTTP GET requests to unintended internal or external network locations. In cloud environments such as AWS, this can be particularly dangerous because an attacker might exploit the SSRF to query the instance metadata REST API, which often contains sensitive information like temporary credentials, configuration details, or tokens. If the cloud instance is misconfigured or overly permissive, this can lead to unauthorized disclosure of internal data. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require some level of privileges (as indicated by CVSS vector PR:H), which suggests that the attacker needs authenticated access to exploit it. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.0, indicating a low severity primarily due to the high attack complexity and required privileges. The vulnerability affects confidentiality but does not impact integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and the issue is resolved in TablePress version 2.2.5. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-918 (Server-Side Request Forgery).

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the TablePress plugin versions earlier than 2.2.5, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized internal network reconnaissance and potential data leakage. In cloud-hosted environments, especially those using AWS, the SSRF could allow attackers to access sensitive instance metadata, potentially exposing credentials that could be leveraged for further lateral movement or privilege escalation within the cloud infrastructure. This could lead to breaches of confidentiality and compromise of internal systems. Although the CVSS score is low, the impact can be significant if combined with other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations. Organizations relying on TablePress for public-facing or internal portals should be aware that attackers with authenticated access could exploit this flaw to gather intelligence or extract sensitive information, which may lead to compliance issues under GDPR if personal or sensitive data is exposed. The risk is heightened in environments where cloud metadata services are accessible and not properly secured.

1. Immediate upgrade of the TablePress plugin to version 2.2.5 or later, where this vulnerability is patched. 2. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on URLs accepted by the plugin to prevent SSRF attempts. 3. Restrict access to cloud instance metadata services by applying network-level controls such as firewall rules or metadata service access restrictions (e.g., AWS IMDSv2 enforcement). 4. Limit the privileges of WordPress users to minimize the number of accounts that can supply URLs for import, reducing the attack surface. 5. Monitor and log outbound HTTP requests from the web server to detect unusual or unauthorized internal network access attempts. 6. Conduct regular security audits of WordPress plugins and cloud configurations to identify and remediate similar SSRF risks. 7. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with SSRF detection capabilities to block malicious requests targeting internal resources.