CVE-2024-10898
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows authenticated WordPress users with Contributor-level access or higher to include and execute arbitrary PHP files on the server via the Contact Form 7 Email Add-on plugin. Attackers can achieve remote code execution, bypass access controls, or access sensitive data. All WordPress sites using this plugin up to version 1.9 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Contact Form 7 Email Add-on for WordPress
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full server compromise leading to data theft, website defacement, malware distribution, or ransomware deployment.
Likely Case
Unauthorized code execution leading to backdoor installation, credential harvesting, or lateral movement within the hosting environment.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper file upload restrictions and server hardening are in place, though local file inclusion could still expose sensitive files.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but is straightforward once attacker has Contributor-level credentials.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version 2.0 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/cf7-email-add-on/trunk/include/class-cf7-email.php
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Contact Form 7 Email Add-on'. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. If no update appears, manually download version 2.0+ from WordPress.org and replace the plugin files.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable plugin
allTemporarily deactivate the Contact Form 7 Email Add-on plugin until patched.
wp plugin deactivate cf7-email-add-on
Restrict user roles
allRemove Contributor role access or limit user registration to prevent exploitation.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict file upload restrictions and disable PHP execution in upload directories.
- Apply web application firewall rules to block local file inclusion patterns and monitor for suspicious file inclusion attempts.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin > Plugins > Installed Plugins for 'Contact Form 7 Email Add-on' version 1.9 or lower.Check Version:
wp plugin get cf7-email-add-on --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm plugin version is 2.0 or higher in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file inclusion patterns in web server logs
- PHP file execution from non-standard locations
- Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful Contributor login
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing file inclusion parameters to plugin endpoints
- Unusual outbound connections from web server
SIEM Query:
source="web_server" AND (uri="/wp-content/plugins/cf7-email-add-on/*" AND (param="file" OR param="template"))