CVE-2024-9520 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in the UserPlus plugin for WordPress, which is used for user registration and profile management. The issue affects all versions up to and including 2.0. The root cause is the absence of proper capability checks in multiple plugin functions, which means that authenticated users with minimal privileges (subscriber-level or above) can perform unauthorized actions such as adding, modifying, or deleting user metadata and plugin options. This bypass of authorization controls allows attackers to manipulate sensitive data and configuration settings without requiring administrative privileges or user interaction. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.3, indicating a medium severity level, with an attack vector of network, low attack complexity, and privileges required at a low level. The scope is unchanged, and the impact affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but the risk remains significant for sites using this plugin. The vulnerability could be exploited to escalate privileges indirectly or disrupt user data integrity, potentially leading to further compromise of the WordPress environment.

The impact of CVE-2024-9520 is primarily on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of user data and plugin configurations within WordPress sites using the UserPlus plugin. Attackers with subscriber-level access can manipulate user metadata and plugin options, potentially leading to unauthorized privilege escalation, data corruption, or denial of service through configuration tampering. This can undermine trust in the affected websites, cause operational disruptions, and expose sensitive user information. Since WordPress powers a significant portion of the web, and UserPlus is a popular plugin for user management, the vulnerability could affect a wide range of organizations including small businesses, e-commerce sites, and content publishers. The lack of requirement for administrative privileges lowers the barrier for exploitation, increasing the risk from insider threats or compromised low-privilege accounts. Although no known exploits are reported yet, the vulnerability's presence in all plugin versions up to 2.0 means many sites remain exposed until mitigations or updates are applied.

To mitigate CVE-2024-9520, organizations should immediately review and restrict subscriber-level user capabilities within WordPress to the minimum necessary, especially limiting access to user meta and plugin option modification functions. Administrators should monitor user activity logs for suspicious changes to user metadata or plugin settings. Applying principle of least privilege by auditing and tightening role permissions can reduce exploitation risk. Since no official patch is currently available, consider temporarily disabling the UserPlus plugin or replacing it with alternative user management plugins that enforce proper authorization checks. Implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block unauthorized requests targeting UserPlus functions can provide additional protection. Regular backups of user data and plugin configurations are essential to enable recovery in case of exploitation. Stay updated with vendor advisories for forthcoming patches and apply them promptly once released.