CVE-2023-40673
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers to bypass CAPTCHA protection in the Cartpauj Register Captcha WordPress plugin, enabling automated account registration or form submissions. It affects all WordPress sites using this plugin up to version 1.0.02.
💻 Affected Systems
- Cartpauj Register Captcha WordPress Plugin
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Mass automated account creation leading to spam, credential stuffing attacks, or resource exhaustion on the WordPress site.
Likely Case
Automated spam account registration and potential abuse of registration forms.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if other authentication controls exist, but CAPTCHA protection is completely bypassed.
🎯 Exploit Status
The vulnerability is publicly documented with technical details available, making exploitation straightforward.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 1.0.03 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/cartpauj-register-captcha/wordpress-cartpauj-register-captcha-plugin-1-0-02-captcha-bypass-vulnerability
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins
3. Find 'Cartpauj Register Captcha'
4. Click 'Update Now' if available
5. If no update appears, manually download version 1.0.03+ from WordPress.org
6. Deactivate and delete old plugin
7. Upload and activate new version
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate cartpauj-register-captcha
Implement Alternative CAPTCHA
allUse a different CAPTCHA solution while plugin is vulnerable
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable user registration functionality entirely
- Implement rate limiting and IP-based restrictions on registration forms
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin > Plugins > Installed Plugins for Cartpauj Register Captcha version 1.0.02 or earlierCheck Version:
wp plugin get cartpauj-register-captcha --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify plugin version is 1.0.03 or later in WordPress admin plugins page📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual spike in user registrations
- Multiple registration attempts from same IP
- Registration form submissions without CAPTCHA interaction
Network Indicators:
- Automated POST requests to registration endpoints
- Patterned registration attempts
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress" AND (event="user_registration" OR url_path="/wp-login.php?action=register") AND count > 10 per minute🔗 References
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/cartpauj-register-captcha/wordpress-cartpauj-register-captcha-plugin-1-0-02-captcha-bypass-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/cartpauj-register-captcha/wordpress-cartpauj-register-captcha-plugin-1-0-02-captcha-bypass-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
