dbcve.org
Missing AuthorizationWeakness · CWE-862

CVE-2024-3821

HIGH · 7.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2024-06-01
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
82/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
The wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access due to a missing capability check on several functions in the wdt_ajax_actions.php file in all versions up to, and including, 6.3.2. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to manipulate data tables. Please note this only affects the premium version of the plugin.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The wpDataTables premium plugin for WordPress lacks capability checks on AJAX functions in wdt_ajax_actions.php, allowing unauthenticated attackers to manipulate data tables. This is a broken access control vulnerability where AJAX endpoints do not verify user permissions before executing data modification operations.

MitigationUpdate the wpDataTables plugin to version 6.3.3 or later which includes proper capability checks on AJAX functions. If immediate update is unavailable, restrict access to the affected AJAX endpoints via server-side configuration or disable table manipulation features until patched.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Verify wpDataTables plugin is installed
    Log into WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins, or check the /wp-content/plugins/ directory for a folder containing 'wpdatatables'
    Affected if The wpDataTables plugin is present in the WordPress installation
  2. Identify installed wpDataTables version
    In WordPress admin, go to Plugins > Installed Plugins and find the version number listed for wpDataTables Premium; alternatively, check the main plugin file (such as wpdatatables.php) for the 'Version' header comment
    Affected if The installed version is lower than the version that includes the fix (compare your version to the known fixed release)
  3. Locate the vulnerable AJAX handler file
    Check for the presence of wdt_ajax_actions.php in the plugin directory, typically found at /wp-content/plugins/wpdatatables-premium/wdt_ajax_actions.php or similar path
    Affected if The file wdt_ajax_actions.php exists in the plugin folder
  4. Test AJAX endpoint accessibility
    Send a POST request to the AJAX endpoint (commonly /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action parameter related to wdt) without providing authentication credentials; check if the server returns a successful response rather than an authentication error
    Affected if AJAX actions in wpDataTables execute without requiring user capability verification (unauthenticated requests succeed)
  5. Review server access logs for suspicious AJAX activity
    Examine web server access logs for POST requests to admin-ajax.php with wdt-related actions from unfamiliar IP addresses or patterns indicating automated tools
    Affected if Unauthenticated external requests to wdt AJAX endpoints are present in logs

You are affected if wpDataTables Premium is installed, the vulnerable AJAX handler file exists, and unauthenticated users can successfully execute table manipulation operations through the AJAX interface.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Update the wpDataTables plugin to version 6.3.3 or later which includes proper capability checks on AJAX functions. If immediate update is unavailable, restrict access to the affected AJAX endpoints via server-side configuration or disable table manipulation features until patched.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation3.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,420
Get help mitigating

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,272.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-3821 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data