CVE-2024-27195 identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Sandi Verdev Watermark RELOADED plugin, a tool commonly used to add watermarks to images on WordPress websites. The vulnerability exists in versions up to 1.3.5 and allows attackers to trick authenticated users into executing unwanted actions without their consent. This CSRF flaw can be leveraged to inject stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) payloads, which persist on the affected site and execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability requires no prior authentication (PR:N) but does require user interaction (UI:R), such as clicking a malicious link or visiting a crafted webpage. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), meaning it can be exploited remotely over the internet. The vulnerability has a scope change (S:C), indicating that exploitation can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent (C:L/I:L/A:L), as attackers can potentially steal session tokens, modify content, or disrupt service. No official patches have been released yet, and no known exploits are reported in the wild. However, the presence of stored XSS combined with CSRF significantly raises the risk profile, as it enables persistent attacks that can compromise user accounts and site integrity. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-352, which highlights weaknesses in CSRF protections. Given the plugin’s usage in WordPress environments, the threat primarily targets websites relying on this plugin for watermarking images, which may include e-commerce, media, and content publishing sites.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a considerable risk, especially for those operating WordPress websites that utilize the Watermark RELOADED plugin. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized actions performed on behalf of legitimate users, including administrators, resulting in persistent XSS attacks that compromise user sessions, steal sensitive data, or deface websites. This can damage brand reputation, lead to data breaches involving personal data protected under GDPR, and disrupt business operations. The vulnerability’s ability to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability means attackers could manipulate website content or inject malicious scripts that spread malware or conduct phishing attacks. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, media, and government services are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on web presence and user trust. The lack of available patches increases the urgency for interim mitigations. Additionally, the cross-site nature of the attack could facilitate lateral movement within networks if administrative credentials are compromised. The potential regulatory and financial consequences of a breach stemming from this vulnerability are significant for European entities.

1. Immediately audit the use of the Watermark RELOADED plugin across all WordPress installations and disable or remove it if not essential. 2. Monitor official vendor channels and security advisories for patches or updates addressing CVE-2024-27195 and apply them promptly once available. 3. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block CSRF attack patterns and suspicious POST requests targeting the plugin’s endpoints. 4. Enforce strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to mitigate the impact of stored XSS by restricting script execution sources. 5. Harden WordPress installations by limiting administrative access, enforcing multi-factor authentication, and regularly reviewing user permissions to reduce the risk of privilege abuse. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of clicking unsolicited links or visiting untrusted websites to reduce the likelihood of successful CSRF exploitation. 7. Consider deploying security plugins that add CSRF tokens to forms and verify their presence on all state-changing requests. 8. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on CSRF and XSS vulnerabilities in web applications. 9. Maintain comprehensive logging and monitoring to detect anomalous activities indicative of exploitation attempts. 10. If immediate patching is not possible, isolate affected systems or restrict access to trusted IP ranges to limit exposure.