CVE-2024-8009 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization) affecting the Sensei LMS WordPress plugin versions before 4.20.0. The flaw allows users with teacher-level permissions to access a list of all users on the blog, including their email addresses, on the students page. This occurs because the plugin fails to properly restrict access to sensitive user information, exposing data that should be limited to administrators or the users themselves. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network (AV:N), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), and requires the attacker to have privileges equivalent to a teacher (PR:L). No user interaction is needed (UI:N), and the scope remains unchanged (S:U). The impact is limited to confidentiality (C:L), with no impact on integrity or availability. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the exposure of email addresses can facilitate phishing, social engineering, or targeted attacks against users. The vulnerability was published on May 15, 2025, and is tracked by WPScan and CISA. No official patches are linked in the provided data, but upgrading to Sensei LMS 4.20.0 or later is recommended to remediate the issue.

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily threatens user privacy by exposing email addresses of all blog users to teachers, who may not be authorized to access such data. This can lead to increased risk of phishing attacks, spear-phishing campaigns, and social engineering targeting students or other users. Educational institutions and corporate training environments using Sensei LMS are particularly at risk, as they often handle sensitive personal data and must comply with GDPR regulations. Unauthorized disclosure of email addresses could result in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. However, since exploitation requires teacher-level access, the risk is somewhat mitigated by existing access controls. The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, so operational disruption is unlikely. Nonetheless, the breach of confidentiality can have significant privacy implications, especially in sectors handling minors or sensitive educational content.

European organizations should immediately upgrade Sensei LMS to version 4.20.0 or later where this authorization flaw is fixed. Until the upgrade is applied, administrators should audit and restrict teacher-level permissions to only trusted users to minimize exposure. Implement strict role-based access controls and regularly review user roles and capabilities within WordPress. Consider deploying monitoring to detect unusual access patterns to user lists or email data. Educate teachers and staff about the sensitivity of user data and the risks of unauthorized disclosure. Additionally, organizations should ensure compliance with GDPR by informing affected users if a data exposure incident occurs. If upgrading is delayed, custom code or plugins could be used to override or restrict access to user email addresses on the students page as a temporary workaround.