CVE-2024-5204 is an authentication bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-288, found in the boomdevs Swiss Toolkit For WP plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 1.0.7. The root cause is the plugin's practice of storing custom data in post metadata fields without an underscore prefix, which is a deviation from WordPress best practices. This improper metadata handling allows authenticated users with contributor-level permissions or higher to manipulate post metadata in a way that bypasses authentication controls. Consequently, these users can escalate their privileges and impersonate any existing user on the WordPress site, including administrators. The vulnerability does not require user interaction and can be exploited remotely over the network, making it highly accessible to attackers who have at least contributor access. The CVSS v3.1 score is 8.8 (high), reflecting the ease of exploitation, the lack of required user interaction, and the severe impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected systems. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to WordPress sites using this plugin, potentially leading to full site compromise, data theft, defacement, or further malware deployment.

The impact of CVE-2024-5204 is severe for organizations running WordPress sites with the boomdevs Swiss Toolkit For WP plugin. An attacker with contributor-level access can escalate privileges to administrator level, effectively gaining full control over the site. This can lead to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion, complete site takeover, installation of backdoors or malware, and disruption of services. The breach of administrator credentials compromises the entire WordPress environment, including other plugins and themes, potentially exposing sensitive customer data and internal business information. For organizations relying on WordPress for e-commerce, content management, or customer engagement, this vulnerability could result in reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and financial losses. The ease of exploitation and the broad scope of affected versions increase the likelihood of targeted attacks, especially against sites with multiple contributors or editors.

To mitigate CVE-2024-5204, organizations should immediately update the Swiss Toolkit For WP plugin to a patched version once released by boomdevs. Until a patch is available, administrators should restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only and consider temporarily disabling or uninstalling the plugin if feasible. Implement strict access controls and monitor user activities for suspicious privilege escalations. Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block unusual metadata manipulation or privilege escalation attempts related to this plugin. Regularly audit WordPress user roles and permissions to ensure no unauthorized privilege changes occur. Additionally, review and harden WordPress metadata handling practices, ensuring custom metadata uses underscore prefixes to prevent unauthorized access. Maintain comprehensive backups and incident response plans to recover quickly in case of compromise.