CVE-2024-38766
📋 TL;DR
This CSRF vulnerability in Matomo Analytics allows attackers to trick authenticated administrators into performing unintended actions by clicking malicious links. It affects all Matomo Analytics installations from unknown versions through 5.1.1. The vulnerability specifically allows attackers to dismiss admin notices without authorization.
💻 Affected Systems
- Matomo Analytics 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
Attackers could manipulate admin settings, potentially altering analytics configurations or disabling security features if other CSRF-protected endpoints exist.
Likely Case
Attackers can dismiss important admin notices, potentially hiding security warnings or configuration issues from administrators.
If Mitigated
With proper CSRF protections and user awareness, impact is limited to minor administrative inconvenience.
🎯 Exploit Status
CSRF attacks are well-understood and relatively easy to implement. Exploitation requires social engineering to trick authenticated users.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 5.1.2 or later
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find Matomo Analytics. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. Alternatively, download version 5.1.2+ from WordPress repository and replace plugin files.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
CSRF Token Implementation
allAdd custom CSRF protection to vulnerable endpoints
Requires custom PHP development to implement nonce/token validation
Restrict Admin Access
linuxLimit admin panel access to trusted IP addresses only
# Add to .htaccess for Apache:
Order deny,allow
Deny from all
Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
# Add to nginx config:
location /wp-admin {
allow 192.168.1.0/24;
deny all;
}
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect CSRF patterns
- Educate administrators about CSRF risks and safe browsing practices
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin > Plugins > Matomo Analytics. If version is 5.1.1 or lower, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin list --name=matomo --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
After update, confirm version is 5.1.2 or higher in WordPress plugins list.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple admin notice dismissals from same IP in short timeframe
- Admin actions without corresponding page loads
Network Indicators:
- POST requests to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action=matomo_dismiss_notice without referrer headers
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND "matomo_dismiss_notice" AND NOT referer="*wp-admin*"