CVE-2024-9861 is an authentication bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-288 affecting the Miniorange OTP Verification with Firebase plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 3.6.0. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate the OTP token supplied during the login process. Specifically, the plugin does not verify the authenticity or integrity of the token, allowing an attacker who knows the phone number linked to a user account to bypass the OTP verification step entirely. This flaw enables unauthenticated attackers to impersonate any user on the WordPress site, including those with administrative privileges. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1, reflecting its high severity, with attack vector being network-based, no privileges or user interaction required, but with high attack complexity due to the need to know valid phone numbers. The scope is unchanged but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high since attackers can fully control the compromised accounts. No patches or official fixes have been linked yet, and no known exploits are currently in the wild. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on October 17, 2024, by Wordfence. Given the widespread use of WordPress and the popularity of OTP plugins for two-factor authentication, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to websites relying on this plugin for secure login.

The impact of CVE-2024-9861 is substantial for organizations using the Miniorange OTP Verification with Firebase plugin on WordPress sites. Successful exploitation allows attackers to bypass OTP authentication and gain unauthorized access to user accounts, including administrators. This can lead to full site compromise, data theft, defacement, installation of backdoors or malware, and disruption of services. Confidential information stored or managed via the WordPress site can be exposed or altered, damaging organizational reputation and potentially violating data protection regulations. The ability to impersonate administrators also enables attackers to disable security controls, delete logs, or lock out legitimate users. Since WordPress powers a significant portion of the web, including many business, government, and e-commerce sites, the risk extends globally. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently limits immediate widespread damage, but the vulnerability’s existence invites targeted attacks, especially against high-value targets. Organizations that rely on this plugin for two-factor authentication lose a critical security layer, increasing their overall attack surface.

To mitigate CVE-2024-9861, organizations should immediately verify if they are using the Miniorange OTP Verification with Firebase plugin version 3.6.0 or earlier. If so, they should: 1) Monitor the plugin vendor’s official channels for patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 2) Temporarily disable the plugin or the OTP feature to prevent exploitation until a fix is applied. 3) Implement additional authentication controls such as IP whitelisting, web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect anomalous login attempts, and rate limiting on login endpoints. 4) Audit user phone number data to ensure it is not publicly exposed or easily guessable, reducing the risk of attackers obtaining valid phone numbers. 5) Enforce strong password policies and consider alternative or additional multi-factor authentication methods that do not rely solely on this plugin. 6) Conduct thorough security reviews and monitoring of WordPress logs to detect suspicious login activities or unauthorized access. 7) Educate administrators and users about the vulnerability and encourage vigilance for phishing or social engineering attempts that could complement exploitation. These steps provide layered defense until a secure plugin version is deployed.