critical CVSS 9.8

CVE-2024-3729·PHP vulnerability

The Frontend Admin by DynamiApps plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to improper missing encryption exception handling on the 'fea_encrypt' function in all versions up to, and including, 3.19.4. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to manipulate the user processing forms, which can be used to add and edit administrator user for privilege escalation, or to automatically log in users for authentication bypass, or manipulate the post processing form that can be used to inject arbitrary web scripts. This can only be exploited if the 'openssl' php extension is not loaded on the server.

Severity
critical
Software
PHP
Fixed in
3.19.5
Published
2024-05-02

Affected versions

Until: 3.19.5

Fixed in: 3.19.5

How to fix this CVE

Update the Frontend Admin by DynamiApps WordPress plugin to version 3.19.5 or later to address the encryption exception handling flaw in the fea_encrypt function. If the openssl PHP extension is not loaded on your server, your installation is at immediate risk of privilege escalation, authentication bypass, and XSS injection attacks. Verify that openssl is enabled in your PHP configuration and apply the plugin update without delay.

sudo dnf update php php-openssl

Defensia detects this vulnerability

What an exploitation attempt looks like

Sample log line indicative of exploitation attempts:

POST request to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or frontend form submission endpoints with 'fea_' prefixed parameters, missing or malformed nonce values, and suspicious user creation or role elevation POST data when openssl extension is not loaded

WAF mitigation (if patching is not yet possible)

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

Block or require authentication for POST requests to WordPress AJAX endpoints handling fea_encrypt operations. Implement strict nonce validation on all form submissions and enforce openssl module presence checks. Consider rate-limiting form submissions to slow brute-force privilege escalation attempts.

How to check if you are affected

  1. Check the installed PHP version: php -v
  2. Verify if openssl extension is loaded: php -m | grep -i openssl; also check php -i | grep -A 5 'OpenSSL support'
  3. Locate the vulnerable plugin directory: find /var/www -type d -name 'acf-frontend-form-element' or 'frontend-admin' 2>/dev/null
  4. Check the plugin version by examining the main plugin file: grep -i 'Version:' /path/to/plugin/frontend-admin.php or similar main file
  5. Search WordPress admin logs and web server access logs for POST requests to form submission endpoints without valid nonces or authentication headers
  6. Verify the fix by confirming the plugin version is 3.19.5+ and openssl extension is loaded: php -r "echo extension_loaded('openssl') ? 'ENABLED' : 'DISABLED';"

FAQ

What is CVE-2024-3729?

CVE-2024-3729 is a critical vulnerability in the Frontend Admin by DynamiApps WordPress plugin where improper exception handling in the fea_encrypt function allows unauthenticated attackers to bypass encryption checks when the openssl PHP extension is disabled, leading to user privilege escalation, authentication bypass, and XSS injection.

Is CVE-2024-3729 being actively exploited?

According to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, CVE-2024-3729 is not currently listed as actively exploited. However, no public exploit is required given the straightforward nature of the vulnerability when openssl is disabled.

What versions of the Frontend Admin plugin are affected by CVE-2024-3729?

All versions of the Frontend Admin by DynamiApps plugin up to and including version 3.19.4 are vulnerable. Version 3.19.5 and later contain the fix.

How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-3729?

Run: php -m | grep -i openssl. If openssl is not in the output AND you have the Frontend Admin plugin version ≤3.19.4 installed, your site is vulnerable. Additionally, check the plugin version with: grep -i 'Version:' /path/to/plugin/frontend-admin.php

What is the risk if openssl is disabled on my server?

If openssl is disabled, the encryption exception handling fails silently, allowing attackers to manipulate form data without valid encryption tokens. This enables unauthorized admin account creation, user authentication bypass, and malicious script injection into posts.

Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-3729?

Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If the Frontend Admin plugin or PHP is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-3729 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps and openssl extension status verification.

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References

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