Pluginnaam	Tourfic
Type of Vulnerability	Gebroken toegangscontrole
CVE Number	CVE-2024-8860
Urgentie	Laag
CVE Publish Date	2025-08-25
Source URL	CVE-2024-8860

Tourfic <= 2.14.5 — Missing Authorization in Multiple Functions (CVE‑2024‑8860)

As the team behind WP‑Firewall, we want to make sure site owners and administrators understand the real risk posed by the recently disclosed vulnerability in the Tourfic WordPress plugin (CVE‑2024‑8860). This is a Broken Access Control issue that affects Tourfic versions up to and including 2.14.5 and was fixed in 2.15.0.

Below you’ll find a clear, actionable breakdown: what the issue is, how attackers can abuse it, how to detect and mitigate, and practical immediate steps you can take — including how WP‑Firewall protects you both proactively and reactively if you can’t update right away.

Table of contents

• Quick summary
• What exactly is this vulnerability?
• Why this matters for WordPress sites
• Attack surface and exploitation scenarios
• Realistic impact and risk assessment
• How to detect if you’ve been targeted
• Immediate remediation — the first 72 hours
• If you can’t update: short-term virtual patching and WAF rules
• Hardening recommendations (longer term)
• Testing and validation (how to confirm protection)
• Incident response checklist (if you suspect compromise)
• How WP‑Firewall protects you
• Start protecting with WP‑Firewall (Free plan) — a straightforward protection path
• Final notes and resources

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Quick summary

• Affected plugin: Tourfic (WordPress plugin)
• Kwetsbare versies: <= 2.14.5
• Vastgesteld in: 2.15.0
• Issue: Broken Access Control / missing authorization checks in multiple functions (CVE‑2024‑8860)
• Required privilege to exploit: Subscriber (low‑privilege authenticated user)
• Ernst: Low (CVSS 4.3), but exploitable in many sites that allow registration or have low‑privileged user accounts
• Immediate recommendation: Update to Tourfic 2.15.0 as soon as possible. If you cannot update, apply virtual patching / WAF rules, restrict registrations, and monitor for suspicious activity.

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What exactly is this vulnerability?

Broken Access Control is an umbrella term for flaws where operations that should be restricted by role, capability or nonce checks are not properly enforced. In this case, multiple plugin functions were lacking proper authorization checks. That means an authenticated user with minimal privileges (Subscriber) can access certain plugin functionality that should require a higher privilege level (e.g., Editor, Administrator or a validated nonce/capability).

Common examples of missing checks in WordPress plugins include:

• Not verifying current_user_can() or capability checks before performing state‑changing operations.
• Not validating or requiring a nonce for AJAX or form actions.
• Exposing admin‑endpoints or AJAX actions that assume the caller is privileged.

When those checks are missing, a user who is normally limited to reading content (a Subscriber) may be able to trigger actions that should be reserved for site admins or editors — such as creating, editing or deleting plugin data, modifying settings, or in the worst cases changing content or configurations.

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Why this matters for WordPress sites

Although the CVSS score is in the “Low” range, this vulnerability becomes meaningful in the majority of WordPress deployments because:

• Many sites allow visitor registration, or have third‑party integrations that create low‑privilege accounts.
• Subscribers are often treated as harmless, which lowers monitoring for their activity.
• Attackers can automate low‑privileged account creation and then scan for vulnerable plugins to escalate their reach.
• Broken access checks often allow actions that are hard to detect without careful logging (e.g., silently modifying plugin records or injecting malicious content into plugin-managed pages).

In short: an attacker who can register an account or gain Subscriber access on an affected site has a path to misuse functionality that should be restricted. That can lead to site defacement, data leakage, content tampering, or persistent backdoors if combined with other weaknesses.

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Attack surface and exploitation scenarios

This vulnerability targets plugin functionality exposed via:

• admin AJAX endpoints (admin‑ajax.php) or similar internal hooks,
• custom admin/post endpoints (e.g., plugin REST endpoints),
• admin pages accessible to logged‑in users.

Typical exploitation flow:

1. Attacker registers on the site or obtains a Subscriber account.
2. Using their session, they identify plugin‑related frontend or AJAX requests by interacting with pages managed by the plugin (or by scanning common endpoints).
3. They replicate those requests (via browser devtools or curl/scripts) and change parameters to trigger functionality that lacks authorization/nonce checks.
4. If the function performs state changes and lacks capability checks, the attacker succeeds in performing a privileged action.

Concrete, realistic impacts:

• Creation or modification of plugin content (e.g., tours, listings).
• Modification of plugin settings that control front‑end behavior.
• Injection of content that could be used for phishing or SEO spam.
• In some cases, exposure of data that should be restricted.

Note: The advisory indicates the required privilege level is Subscriber — meaning the attacker does not need administrator access to carry out the abuse. That lowers the barrier to entry significantly on sites that allow user registration.

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Realistic impact and risk assessment

Why is this rated Low?

• The vulnerability requires an authenticated account (not anonymous access).
• It typically allows actions mapped to plugin usage (e.g., update tour entries) rather than full site takeover.
• No automated remote code execution is described.

Why you should still act rapidly:

• Low‑privilege accounts are cheap and easily created on many sites.
• Attackers automate scanning for same vulnerabilities across thousands of sites; opportunistic abuse is common.
• Even limited actions by an attacker can introduce content spam, data leakage, and reputational damage.

So: treat this as urgent if your site allows user registration or has Subscriber accounts. If your site only uses admin‑created accounts and you have strict registration controls, the immediate risk is lower — but updating remains best practice.

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How to detect if you’ve been targeted

Look for the following indicators of compromise (IoCs) and suspicious behavior:

• Unexpected new entries in the plugin’s data store (new “tour” entries, drafts, or records you did not add).
• Changes to plugin settings or templates you did not authorize.
• Unrecognized requests to admin‑ajax.php or plugin REST endpoints in your web server logs coming from subscriber accounts’ IP addresses.
• Elevated POST traffic to plugin endpoints originating from logged‑in users with low privileges.
• New files or modified files around plugin directories (especially if the plugin stores uploads or templates).
• Unusual user activity from Subscriber accounts: frequent POSTs, access to admin pages, or repeated failed checks.

Useful places to check:

• WordPress Audit / Activity logs (if you have an auditing plugin or server logs).
• Web server access logs (look for POST requests to admin‑ajax.php, wp‑admin/admin‑post.php, or plugin REST paths).
• Database tables used by the plugin (look for newly created records, suspicious fields).
• File system (uploads and theme/plugin directories) for items touched recently.

If you find suspicious signs, follow the incident response checklist (below).

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Immediate remediation — the first 72 hours

1. Update Tourfic to 2.15.0 immediately.
   • This is the official fix and the most reliable mitigation.
   • Use a staging site if you need to test before production deployment, but prioritize speed for security patches.
2. If you cannot update immediately, implement short‑term mitigations:
   • Disable user registration until you can assess and patch.
   • Change subscriber accounts to a role with fewer capabilities or audit existing accounts and remove those that are not required.
   • Apply WAF rules (see next section) to block exploit patterns for the plugin.
   • Increase logging and alerting for plugin endpoints and admin AJAX requests.
3. Rotate passwords for administrators and any elevated accounts if you suspect misuse.
4. Run a security scan (file changes, malware) to search for unauthorized changes.
5. Keep a backup snapshot (database + files) before making changes; this helps with forensic analysis and recovery.

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If you can’t update: short‑term virtual patching and WAF rules

If an immediate plugin update is not feasible (customizations, staging issues, compatibility testing), virtual patching using a WAF is the safest fallback.

What to block

• Block POST requests to plugin AJAX/action endpoints when the requester is a Subscriber or when no valid nonce is present.
• Block direct access to plugin admin files to non‑admin roles.
• Rate‑limit POST requests to relevant admin endpoints to prevent brute‑force abuse from many Subscriber accounts.
• Deny suspicious parameters or payloads that match the plugin’s state‑changing actions.

Example conceptual WAF rules (pseudocode)

• Block requests where:
• URI contains /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php or plugin REST path AND
• POST parameter “action” matches plugin-specific actions (if you know them) AND
• current user role is subscriber OR request has no valid nonce header
• => Respond 403
• Generic pattern-based rule:
• If request is a POST to admin‑ajax.php with Content‑Type application/x-www-form-urlencoded AND contains plugin specific parameter names OR long JSON payloads that match plugin schema,
• => block or challenge with CAPTCHA.

A concrete, deployable approach with WP‑Firewall

• WP‑Firewall can push a virtual patch (WAF rule) for this specific vulnerability that:
• Inspects requests to plugin endpoints and admin AJAX,
• Enforces presence of a valid WP nonce (or blocks if missing),
• Blocks requests that originate from user accounts with Subscriber role attempting to perform state changes,
• Rate‑limits or blacklists IPs that show automated exploitation behavior.

Why virtual patching helps

• It prevents exploitation while you test and deploy the official plugin update.
• It works at the HTTP layer, so you don’t need to modify plugin code.
• It’s fast to deploy and reversible, making it suited for emergency mitigation.

Note: Virtual patching does not replace applying an official code fix — it buys time and reduces immediate risk.

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Quick hardening snippet (temporary PHP quick‑fix)

If you’re comfortable adding a small mu‑plugin (must‑use plugin) or a short code snippet in a site‑specific plugin, you can add a capability guard to block suspicious requests to admin‑ajax. This is a stopgap and should be used only if you cannot immediately update or deploy WAF rules.

Create a file in wp-content/mu-plugins/ (e.g., 10-block-tourfic-mu.php) with the following code:

<?php
/**
 * Temporary access guard for plugin admin AJAX actions
 * Only allow admin users to trigger POST requests to admin-ajax.php
 * (Adjust or remove after you update the plugin)
 */

add_action( 'admin_init', function() {
    if ( defined( 'DOING_AJAX' ) && DOING_AJAX && 'POST' === $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] ) {
        // Check the current user; if not admin, block POSTs that are not expected
        if ( is_user_logged_in() && current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
            return; // admins can continue
        }
        // Optionally check for a nonce param if you know the plugin nonce key; skip if unknown
        // if ( ! isset( $_REQUEST['_wpnonce_plugin_action'] ) || ! wp_verify_nonce( $_REQUEST['_wpnonce_plugin_action'], 'plugin_action' ) ) {
        //     wp_die( 'Forbidden - invalid request', 'Forbidden', array( 'response' => 403 ) );
        // }

        // Block or log POSTs from non-admin users to admin-ajax.php
        if ( ! current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
            wp_die( 'Forbidden', 'Forbidden', array( 'response' => 403 ) );
        }
    }
});

Important:

• This is intentionally simple and conservative (it blocks non‑admin POSTs to admin AJAX). It may break legitimate front‑end interactions that rely on AJAX and require logged‑in subscribers; test carefully.
• Remove this code promptly after updating the plugin and applying a properly scoped fix or WAF rule.

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Hardening recommendations (longer term)

To reduce exposure to similar risks across your WordPress installation:

1. Enforce least privilege
   • Review default user role assignments.
   • Avoid granting elevated capabilities to low‑trust users.
2. Control registrations and onboarding
   • Require admin approval for new accounts or use invitation flows.
   • Use CAPTCHA and email verification during registration.
3. Use plugin testing policies
   • Keep a staging environment for plugin upgrades and test before production.
   • Subscribe to plugin security mailing lists or RSS feeds for alerts.
4. Use two‑factor authentication (2FA)
   • For admin/editor accounts and any role that can modify content.
5. Disable file editing in the dashboard
   • Toevoegen define('DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT', true); to wp-config.php
6. File integrity and backup
   • Maintain off‑site backups and file integrity monitoring.
7. Keep your WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated
   • Updates are the primary defense for reported vulnerabilities.
8. Audit and logging
   • Enable comprehensive logging for admin actions and AJAX endpoints.
   • Review logs regularly or integrate with a SIEM.

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Testing and validation (how to confirm protection)

After you remediate (either by updating or virtual patching), validate:

1. Confirm plugin version (WP‑CLI or dashboard)
   • WP‑CLI: wp plugin list --status=active | grep tourfic
   • Dashboard: Plugins -> Installed Plugins -> check version
2. Verify endpoints are protected
   Gebruik curl to simulate a POST to admin‑ajax.php (replace example parameters as appropriate). If protected, you should receive 403 or a nonce error.
   Example curl (simulate logged‑in user is complex; this is conceptual):

   curl -X POST -d "action=some_tourfic_action¶m=value" https://example.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php -i

   If your WAF is active and blocking, you’ll get a 403/blocked response.

3. Check logs for blocked requests
   Review WP‑Firewall event logs or server logs for blocked patterns targeting the plugin.
4. Test frontend functionality and user flows
   Ensure legitimate users are not blocked by any temporary rule. Adjust granularity as needed.
5. Re‑scan the site
   Run a full malware and integrity scan after remediation.

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Incident response checklist (if you suspect compromise)

1. Take an immediate backup of files and database (isolate and preserve for forensics).
2. Put the site into maintenance mode to prevent further abuse.
3. Update Tourfic to 2.15.0 and other out‑of‑date plugins/themes/core.
4. Rotate all administrator and FTP/SFTP passwords and revoke tokens.
5. Scan for malware and backdoors; check wp‑uploads, theme files, and mu‑plugins for injected code.
6. Restore from a clean backup if you detect a backdoor or persistent code injection.
7. Rebuild compromised accounts and notify affected users as appropriate.
8. Review logs for timeline and IoCs and keep copies for future investigation.
9. Harden access (disable file editing, implement 2FA, review user roles).
10. Consider professional incident response if the breach involves data exfiltration or persistent backdoors.

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How WP‑Firewall protects you

At WP‑Firewall we build our defenses with pragmatic layers designed specifically for WordPress attack vectors. For vulnerabilities like the Tourfic missing authorization issue, our approach is:

• Managed WAF rules: We deploy targeted HTTP‑level rules to prevent exploitation of known broken access control patterns while you plan and apply the official plugin update.
• Virtual patching: When a plugin update is not immediately feasible, WP‑Firewall can apply a virtual patch to block the exact request patterns and actions used in exploitation, buying you safe time to test the official update.
• Malware scanning and mitigation: If an attacker used the vulnerability to insert content or payloads, our scanner finds suspicious files and provides removal options.
• Role‑aware protections: We can detect and block requests that come from low‑privilege roles attempting privileged operations by examining session and request context — a key defense for missing server‑side checks.
• OWASP Top 10 mitigation: Many broken access control attacks cross‑cut multiple classes of vulnerabilities (authentication, security misconfig). WP‑Firewall’s rule set is optimized for the common exploit techniques used against WordPress plugins.
• Continuous updates: Our security ruleset is continuously updated to protect customers quickly after public disclosures, reducing the window of exposure.

If you prefer to manage protections yourself, WP‑Firewall also provides fine‑grain controls for custom rules, IP blacklisting/whitelisting, and detailed logs for incident investigations.

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Start protecting with WP‑Firewall (Free plan) — A straightforward protection path

Free plan headline idea: Start with Essential Protection — Free for your first line of defense

Not ready to commit to paid plans? WP‑Firewall’s Basic (free) plan gives you immediate, practical protections that address common risks including broken access control patterns.

What the Basic (Free) plan includes:

• Managed firewall and WAF tuned for WordPress
• Unlimited bandwidth (no throttling of security checks)
• Malware scanner to detect common infections
• Mitigations that lower the risk from OWASP Top 10 issues
• Quick deployment of emergency rules for disclosed vulnerabilities

Why the Free plan is a good starting point

• It provides critical blockers while you patch plugins and tighten your configuration.
• It’s simple to set up and unobtrusive to normal site operations.
• If you need more advanced features later (automatic malware removal, monthly reports, or virtual patching), you can upgrade smoothly to our paid options.

Sign up or learn more: https://my.wp-firewall.com/buy/wp-firewall-free-plan/

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Final notes and resources

• Update Tourfic to 2.15.0 as soon as reasonably possible — this is the definitive fix.
• If your site allows user registration or uses Subscriber accounts, treat this as higher priority.
• Virtual patching (WAF) is an excellent immediate mitigation when updating is delayed.
• Follow the detection and incident response steps above if you suspect abuse.

If you’re a WP‑Firewall user and want us to scan for attempts to exploit this vulnerability on your site, our support engineers can run a targeted inspection and deploy a temporary rule set to stop exploit attempts while you prepare the update.

We know security is a continued process, not a one‑time task. If you want help designing a pragmatic protection plan — blending plugin management, access control hardening, monitoring and WAF protections — we’re here to help.

— The WP‑Firewall team