CVE-2024-4463 identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Squelch Tabs and Accordions Shortcodes plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 0.4.7. The root cause is the absence or improper implementation of nonce validation during the process of saving plugin settings. Nonces in WordPress are security tokens used to verify that requests are intentional and originate from legitimate users. Without proper nonce checks, attackers can craft malicious web requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator (via clicking a link or visiting a page), cause unauthorized changes to plugin settings. This vulnerability does not require the attacker to be authenticated but does require the victim to have administrative privileges and to perform an action such as clicking a crafted link. The impact is limited to integrity, as attackers can modify plugin configurations but cannot directly access or disrupt data confidentiality or availability. The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.3 (medium), reflecting the network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction and limited impact on integrity only. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is published and should be addressed proactively.

The primary impact of this vulnerability is unauthorized modification of plugin settings, which can lead to altered site behavior, potential security misconfigurations, or degraded user experience. While it does not directly compromise data confidentiality or availability, attackers could leverage changed settings to facilitate further attacks or weaken site defenses. Organizations running WordPress sites with this plugin installed are at risk, especially if site administrators are targeted via phishing or social engineering to trigger the CSRF attack. The scope includes any WordPress site using the vulnerable plugin version, which may be small compared to more popular plugins but still significant for affected users. The requirement for user interaction and administrator privileges limits the ease of exploitation but does not eliminate risk, particularly in environments with less security awareness or high-value targets.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should immediately update the Squelch Tabs and Accordions Shortcodes plugin to a version that includes proper nonce validation once available. In the absence of an official patch, administrators can implement manual nonce checks in the plugin code or disable the plugin temporarily to prevent exploitation. Additionally, site administrators should be trained to recognize and avoid phishing attempts or suspicious links that could trigger CSRF attacks. Employing web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block CSRF attempts targeting the plugin’s settings endpoints can provide an additional layer of defense. Regularly auditing plugin permissions and minimizing the number of administrators can reduce the attack surface. Monitoring logs for unusual changes in plugin settings may help detect exploitation attempts early.