high CVSS 7.5 EPSS 0.84%

CVE-2024-13409·PHP vulnerability

The Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate – with Shortcode, Gutenberg Block & Elementor Widget plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion in all versions up to, and including, 1.6.10 via the 'theme' parameter of the post_type_ajax_handler() function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Contributor-level access and above, to include and execute arbitrary files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls, obtain sensitive data, or achieve code execution in cases where images and other “safe” file types can be uploaded and included.

Severity
high
Software
PHP
Fixed in
1.7
Published

How likely is exploitation

FIRST's Exploit Prediction Scoring System puts the probability of this CVE being exploited in the next 30 days at 0.84% — higher than 53% of all published CVEs. EPSS is an independent forecast of exploitation, not a severity rating: it says nothing about how much damage a successful attack does, which is what a CVSS score measures.

Read the two together. CVE-2024-13409 scores 7.5 on CVSS, so a successful attack would be serious — but at 0.84%, almost nobody is currently attempting it. That is a different situation from a flaw under mass exploitation, and it is usually the difference between patching on your next maintenance window and patching tonight.

Affected versions

Until: 1.7

Fixed in: 1.7

How to fix this CVE

Update the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate WordPress plugin to version 1.7 or later to patch the Local File Inclusion vulnerability in the theme parameter handler. If you cannot immediately update, restrict Contributor-level and above user access until the patch is applied. Verify that no unauthorized file uploads occurred during the vulnerability window, as attackers could have leveraged this to execute malicious PHP code through included files.

sudo dnf update php php-common php-cli

Defensia detects this vulnerability

What an exploitation attempt looks like

Sample log line indicative of exploitation attempts:

POST /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=post_type_ajax_handler&theme=../../../../../../../etc/passwd%00 OR POST requests to admin-ajax.php containing 'post_type_ajax_handler' action with 'theme' parameter containing path traversal sequences (../, ..\\ , %2e%2e%2f, or null bytes %00)

WAF mitigation (if patching is not yet possible)

Add this rule to your WAF to block exploitation attempts while you schedule the patch. 

Implement a ModSecurity or WAF rule to block POST requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action=post_type_ajax_handler when the theme parameter contains path traversal patterns (../), encoded variants (%2e%2e%2f, %252e), or null bytes (%00). Example: SecRule ARGS:theme "@rx (?:\.\.|%2e%2e|%252e|%00)" "id:1000,deny,status:403"

How to check if you are affected

  1. Check the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate plugin version by running: grep -r 'Version:' /path/to/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/post-grid-carousel-ultimate/post-grid-carousel-ultimate.php | head -1
  2. Verify if the plugin is active by checking wp_options table: mysql -u wordpress_user -p wordpress_db -e "SELECT option_value FROM wp_options WHERE option_name='active_plugins';"
  3. Search web server logs for requests containing 'theme=' parameter in post_type_ajax_handler calls: grep -i 'post_type_ajax_handler.*theme=' /var/log/apache2/access.log /var/log/nginx/access.log
  4. Confirm the patch is applied by verifying plugin version is 1.7 or later and checking the AJAX handler code contains proper file inclusion validation in /includes/classes/ajax.php

FAQ

What is CVE-2024-13409?

CVE-2024-13409 is a Local File Inclusion vulnerability in the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate WordPress plugin that allows authenticated users with Contributor access or higher to include and execute arbitrary PHP files from the server through the theme parameter, potentially leading to unauthorized code execution.

Is CVE-2024-13409 being actively exploited?

No, CVE-2024-13409 is not currently listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and no public exploits are widely available, though the vulnerability is exploitable by any authenticated contributor-level user.

What versions of the Post Grid plugin are affected by CVE-2024-13409?

All versions up to and including 1.6.10 are vulnerable; version 1.7 and later contain the fix.

How do I check if my WordPress site is vulnerable to CVE-2024-13409?

Log into your WordPress admin panel, navigate to Plugins, and check the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate plugin version number; if it is 1.6.10 or earlier, your site is vulnerable.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-13409?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed plugin versions against the NVD database. If the Post Grid, Slider & Carousel Ultimate plugin is installed on a monitored WordPress site, CVE-2024-13409 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.

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References

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