CVE-2024-7624 is an improper authorization vulnerability (CWE-285) found in the Zephyr Project Manager plugin for WordPress, affecting all versions up to and including 3.3.101. The vulnerability stems from insufficient capability checks in the update_user_access() function, which manages user permissions within the plugin. Specifically, the plugin does not adequately verify whether the authenticated user has the necessary privileges before allowing them to enable access to the plugin's settings. As a result, any authenticated user with subscriber-level access or higher can exploit this flaw to escalate their privileges and gain full administrative control over the plugin's configuration. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring user interaction, and the attack complexity is low. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.1, reflecting high confidentiality and integrity impact, as unauthorized users can manipulate project management settings, potentially leading to data exposure or unauthorized changes. No patches or official fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. However, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to WordPress sites using this plugin, especially those with multiple user roles and lower privilege accounts.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-7624 is unauthorized privilege escalation within the Zephyr Project Manager plugin, allowing attackers to gain full control over the plugin's settings. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive project management data, manipulation or deletion of project information, and potential disruption of project workflows. Since the vulnerability affects confidentiality and integrity but not availability, attackers could stealthily alter configurations or data without detection. Organizations relying on this plugin for project management may face operational risks, data breaches, and loss of trust. Additionally, if the plugin's elevated permissions extend to other integrated systems or data stores, the impact could cascade beyond the plugin itself. The ease of exploitation and network accessibility increase the likelihood of attacks, especially in environments with multiple authenticated users of varying privilege levels.

To mitigate CVE-2024-7624, organizations should immediately restrict subscriber-level and other low-privilege user access to the WordPress admin area where the Zephyr Project Manager plugin is active. Implement strict role-based access controls to limit who can authenticate and access plugin-related endpoints. Monitor user activity logs for unusual privilege escalations or changes to plugin settings. Until an official patch is released, consider temporarily disabling the plugin or removing it if project management functionality is not critical. If disabling is not feasible, apply custom code-level patches or filters to enforce proper capability checks on the update_user_access() function, ensuring only authorized roles can modify plugin settings. Regularly update WordPress core and plugins, and subscribe to security advisories from the plugin vendor or trusted sources. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the plugin's endpoints. Finally, conduct security awareness training for users to recognize and report suspicious activities.