CVE-2024-7848 is a security vulnerability identified in the User Private Files – WordPress File Sharing Plugin developed by deepakkite. This plugin allows users to share private files within WordPress environments. The vulnerability is an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR), classified under CWE-639, caused by insufficient validation of the 'docid' parameter in the 'dpk_upvf_update_doc' function. Specifically, the plugin fails to verify that the authenticated user requesting access to a file is authorized to access the file identified by the 'docid' key. As a result, any authenticated user with subscriber-level permissions or higher can manipulate the 'docid' parameter to access private files belonging to other users. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.1.0. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.3, reflecting a medium severity level, with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), privileges required (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and impact limited to confidentiality (C:L) without affecting integrity or availability. There are no known public exploits at this time, but the vulnerability could be leveraged to breach user privacy by exposing sensitive files. The root cause is a lack of proper authorization checks on user-controlled input, a common issue in web applications that handle user-specific resources. Mitigation involves implementing strict access control checks to ensure that users can only access their own files and updating the plugin to a fixed version once available.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-7848 is the unauthorized disclosure of private user files, compromising confidentiality. Organizations using the affected plugin risk exposing sensitive or confidential information stored in user private files to other authenticated users, which could lead to privacy violations, data leaks, and potential regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR). Although the vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability, the exposure of private files could damage user trust and the organization's reputation. Attackers with subscriber-level access, which is a low privilege level in WordPress, can exploit this flaw without requiring elevated permissions, increasing the risk of insider threats or compromised accounts being leveraged. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network without user interaction, making it easier to automate attacks once discovered. While no known exploits are currently reported, the widespread use of WordPress and the plugin in question means that many websites could be at risk if the vulnerability is weaponized. Organizations that rely on this plugin for file sharing should consider the sensitivity of the data stored and the potential consequences of unauthorized access.

1. Immediately restrict access to the User Private Files plugin functionality to trusted users until a patch is available. 2. Monitor and audit user access logs for suspicious activity related to file access, especially unusual access patterns to private files. 3. Apply strict server-side authorization checks validating that the authenticated user owns or is permitted to access the file identified by 'docid' before serving any file content. 4. Disable or remove the plugin if it is not essential, or replace it with a more secure alternative that enforces proper access controls. 5. Follow the plugin vendor’s updates closely and apply patches as soon as they are released. 6. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious requests attempting to manipulate 'docid' parameters. 7. Educate users and administrators about the risks of sharing sensitive files and encourage strong authentication practices to reduce the risk of account compromise. 8. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focusing on authorization controls in custom or third-party WordPress plugins.