CVE-2024-8632 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the KB Support – WordPress Help Desk and Knowledge Base plugin developed by cagdasdag. The flaw exists in the 'kbs_ajax_load_front_end_replies' and 'kbs_ajax_mark_reply_as_read' functions, which lack proper capability checks to verify if the requester is authorized to access or modify ticket replies. As a result, unauthenticated attackers can remotely invoke these AJAX endpoints to read replies from any support ticket and mark replies as read without permission. This unauthorized access compromises the confidentiality of sensitive support communications and the integrity of ticket status data. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.6.6 of the plugin. The attack vector is network-based with no authentication or user interaction required, making exploitation relatively straightforward. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability's presence in a popular WordPress plugin used for help desk and knowledge base functions poses a significant risk to organizations relying on it for customer support. The CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5 reflects a medium severity, driven by the ease of exploitation and impact on confidentiality and integrity without affecting availability.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-8632 is unauthorized disclosure and modification of support ticket replies within affected WordPress sites. Confidential information exchanged between customers and support staff can be exposed to attackers, potentially leading to data leakage of sensitive or proprietary information. The ability to mark replies as read without authorization can mislead support workflows, causing confusion or denial of proper ticket handling. While availability is not impacted, the breach of confidentiality and integrity can damage organizational reputation, customer trust, and compliance with data protection regulations. Attackers could leverage the exposed information for social engineering or further attacks. Organizations using this plugin for customer support are at risk of data breaches and operational disruptions in their help desk processes.

Organizations should immediately update the KB Support – WordPress Help Desk and Knowledge Base plugin to a patched version once available. Until a patch is released, administrators should restrict access to the affected AJAX endpoints by implementing web application firewall (WAF) rules that block unauthenticated requests to 'kbs_ajax_load_front_end_replies' and 'kbs_ajax_mark_reply_as_read'. Additionally, review and tighten WordPress user role permissions to limit access to support ticket data. Monitoring web server logs for suspicious access patterns targeting these AJAX functions can help detect exploitation attempts. Consider isolating the help desk plugin behind authentication gateways or IP whitelisting to reduce exposure. Regularly audit plugins for updates and vulnerabilities to maintain security hygiene.