LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2024-50500: WordPress Phlox Core Elements plugin <= 2.17.4 - Broken Access Control vulnerability

Missing Authorization vulnerability in averta Shortcodes and extra features for Phlox theme auxin-elements allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects Shortcodes and extra features for Phlox theme: from n/a through <= 2.17.4.

MediumCVSS 4.3Not KEV-listedUpdated
Discuss exposureBack to CVEs
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2024-50500 is a medium-severity access-control flaw in the WordPress Phlox Core Elements plugin. A logged-in user may be able to perform actions that should require stronger authorization. The documented impact is limited to integrity, not data disclosure or service outage.

Executive priority

Treat this as a moderate WordPress hygiene issue. It is not described as actively exploited, but it can let authenticated users make unauthorized changes. Prioritize internet-facing sites with open registration or many low-privilege users.

Technical view

The issue is CWE-862 Missing Authorization in averta Shortcodes and extra features for Phlox theme, package auxin-elements, affecting versions through 2.17.4. CVSS 3.1 is 4.3: network reachable, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, low integrity impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to WordPress sites running the Phlox Core Elements or auxin-elements plugin at version 2.17.4 or earlier, especially sites allowing subscriber, contributor, customer, or other low-privilege accounts.

Exploitation context

The provided sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The CVSS vector indicates exploitation requires an authenticated low-privilege account and could affect site integrity. No exploit details are provided in the source bundle.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited to the CVE data and Patchstack database reference. The bundle does not identify the exact vulnerable endpoint, fixed version, or vendor workaround. Avoid assumptions beyond missing authorization in auxin-elements through 2.17.4.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify all WordPress sites using auxin-elements or Phlox Core Elements.
  • Check vendor and Patchstack guidance for the fixed version or recommended mitigation.
  • Update the plugin when a vendor-confirmed fixed release is available.
  • Disable the plugin where it is not operationally required.
  • Limit low-privilege account creation and remove unused WordPress users.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory plugin versions across WordPress production, staging, and backups.
  • Flag auxin-elements or Phlox Core Elements versions 2.17.4 or earlier.
  • Review WordPress user roles for unnecessary low-privilege accounts.
  • Check site logs for unexpected changes by low-privilege users.
  • Confirm remediation against vendor or Patchstack advisory details.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
3

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cwe · medium confidence lookup

CWE-862: Authorization and privilege behavior lookup

Authorization weaknesses can support privilege escalation and valid-account review, depending on exploit path. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2024-50500 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
4.3 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
2Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
4.3CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N2.81.4Patchstack

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

4.3Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-50500Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
avertaShortcodes and extra features for Phlox themeauxin-elements, 0unaffected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-862

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.