CVE-2024-4222 is a vulnerability identified in the Tutor LMS Pro plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 2.7.0. The root cause is a missing authorization (CWE-862) on multiple plugin functions, which means that the plugin fails to verify whether a user has the necessary permissions before allowing access to sensitive operations. This flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to remotely invoke these functions to add, modify, or delete user metadata and plugin options without any authentication or user interaction. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.3, indicating high severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:L/I:L/A:L) of data managed by the plugin. Tutor LMS Pro is widely used in WordPress-based e-learning platforms, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for educational institutions and organizations relying on this plugin for course management. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is published and recognized by the CVE database. The missing capability checks highlight a critical security design flaw that must be addressed promptly to prevent unauthorized data manipulation and potential service disruption.

The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate user metadata and plugin options, which can lead to unauthorized data disclosure, data tampering, and potential loss of data integrity and availability. For organizations, this could mean exposure of sensitive user information, unauthorized changes to LMS configurations, and disruption of e-learning services. Attackers could potentially create or delete user accounts, escalate privileges, or alter course content and settings, undermining trust in the platform. The impact extends to educational institutions, training providers, and enterprises using Tutor LMS Pro for critical learning management functions. Because the vulnerability requires no authentication and can be exploited remotely, the risk of widespread exploitation is significant, especially if attackers develop automated exploit tools. The lack of current known exploits provides a window for mitigation, but also means organizations must act proactively to avoid future attacks.

Organizations should immediately upgrade Tutor LMS Pro to a version that addresses this vulnerability once available. Until a patch is released, administrators should restrict access to the WordPress admin area and plugin endpoints using web application firewalls (WAFs) or IP whitelisting to limit exposure. Implement strict role-based access controls and audit user permissions to minimize the impact of any unauthorized changes. Monitor logs for unusual activity related to user metadata or plugin option changes. Disable or remove unused plugins and features to reduce the attack surface. Consider deploying security plugins that can detect and block unauthorized requests targeting plugin functions. Regularly back up LMS data and configurations to enable recovery in case of data loss or tampering. Engage with the plugin vendor for updates and security advisories. Finally, educate administrators about the risks of missing authorization checks and the importance of timely patching.