CVE-2024-4144 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-94, indicating improper control of code generation, specifically code injection, in the Simple Basic Contact Form plugin for WordPress developed by wpkube. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including the 20240502 release. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary WordPress shortcodes by exploiting the plugin's insufficient validation or sanitization of shortcode inputs. Since shortcodes can invoke various WordPress functions or plugin features, this can lead to unauthorized actions within the WordPress environment. The severity and exploitability depend heavily on the presence and nature of other plugins installed on the same WordPress instance, as some plugins may expose more dangerous shortcode functionalities. The vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.5, with vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L, indicating network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, unchanged scope, no confidentiality impact, but integrity and availability impacts possible. No patches or official fixes are linked yet, 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 Simple Basic Contact Form are widely used for contact forms, making many websites potentially vulnerable to code injection attacks that could disrupt site integrity or availability.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-4144 is the potential for unauthorized code execution via shortcode injection, which can compromise the integrity and availability of affected WordPress sites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary shortcodes that may perform malicious actions such as defacing websites, injecting malicious content, or disrupting site functionality. The actual impact depends on other installed plugins that may expose sensitive or critical shortcode capabilities. Since the vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, it can be exploited remotely by any attacker scanning for vulnerable sites. This increases the risk of automated exploitation attempts and mass compromise campaigns. Organizations relying on the Simple Basic Contact Form plugin may face website defacement, loss of service, or reputational damage if exploited. Additionally, compromised sites could be used as a foothold for further attacks within an organization's network or for distributing malware to visitors. The lack of a patch at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for mitigation. Overall, the vulnerability poses a moderate risk to organizations worldwide, especially those with public-facing WordPress sites using this plugin.

To mitigate CVE-2024-4144, organizations should first verify if they use the Simple Basic Contact Form plugin and identify the version installed. Since no official patch is currently linked, immediate mitigation steps include: 1) Temporarily disabling or removing the Simple Basic Contact Form plugin until a patch is released. 2) Restricting access to the contact form page via web application firewall (WAF) rules or IP whitelisting to limit exposure to unauthenticated attackers. 3) Employing security plugins that can detect and block malicious shortcode execution or anomalous requests. 4) Monitoring web server and WordPress logs for unusual shortcode usage or suspicious activity. 5) Applying principle of least privilege to WordPress roles and limiting plugin capabilities where possible. 6) Keeping all other plugins and WordPress core updated to minimize the risk of chained exploits. 7) Preparing to apply vendor patches promptly once available. Additionally, organizations should conduct a security review of other installed plugins to understand potential shortcode functionalities that could be abused in conjunction with this vulnerability. Implementing a robust backup and incident response plan is also recommended to recover quickly if exploitation occurs.