A critical security vulnerability has been discovered in the popular UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin, potentially impacting over 3 million WordPress websites. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-10957, is caused by a PHP Object Injection flaw resulting from the deserialization of untrusted input. The flaw is present in all versions of the plugin up to and including 1.24.11. A patch has been made available in version 1.24.12, which addresses the vulnerability and helps prevent exploitation.
The vulnerability resides in the recursive_unserialized_replace function within the plugin’s code. When exploited, it allows attackers to inject malicious PHP objects into a website’s backend, potentially compromising the security of the affected platform. While no Proof of Concept (PoC) exploits have been reported for this specific vulnerability, the risks remain high, especially if other plugins or themes on the site also contain security flaws. This illustrates the growing need for vigilance in managing and securing all components of a WordPress site.
If exploited, this vulnerability can lead to a range of harmful outcomes, including unauthorized file deletions, exposure of sensitive user data, and even remote code execution. Exploitation requires an administrator to perform a search and replace action within the plugin, which triggers the vulnerability. These risks emphasize the importance of regularly updating WordPress plugins and monitoring their security status to prevent malicious attacks.
To mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability, administrators using the UpdraftPlus plugin are urged to update to version 1.24.12 or any subsequent patched version immediately. Maintaining up-to-date software is essential for ensuring the security of WordPress installations. As cyber threats continue to evolve, proactive measures like updating plugins and performing regular security audits are critical in safeguarding websites from significant vulnerabilities and potential breaches.
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