# CVE-2024-11972: Hunk Companion < 1.9.0 - Unauthenticated Plugin Installation

> Unauthenticated attackers can install and activate arbitrary plugins via REST API, potentially leading to code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 31 Dec 2024
- **Updated:** 31 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pp53-3m4v-vvmw

## What is CVE-2024-11972?

CVE-2024-11972 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown Hunk Companion, published on 31 Dec 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Hunk Companion WordPress plugin before 1.9.0 does not correctly authorize some REST API endpoints, allowing unauthenticated requests to install and activate arbitrary Hunk Companion WordPress plugin before 1.9.0 from the WordPress.org repo, including vulnerable Hunk Companion WordPress plugin before 1.9.0 that have been closed.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-11972?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Themehunk Hunk Companion.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-11972?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-11972 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-11972 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-11972 exists.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2024-11972 in Hunk Companion <1.9.0 allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit insecure REST API endpoints and install vulnerable plugins, risking RCE, SQLi, XSS, and backdoors. (github_poc): https://github.com/RonF98/CVE-2024-11972-POC
- Hunk Companion < 1.9.0 - Unauthenticated Plugin Installation (github_poc): https://github.com/Nxploited/CVE-2024-11972-PoC
- Hunk Companion Plugin 1.9.0 - Unauthenticated Plugin Installation (exploitdb)
- Hunk Companion < 1.9.0 - Unauthenticated Plugin Installation (nuclei): http/cves/2024/CVE-2024-11972.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in Unknown Hunk Companion

- [CVE-2024-9707](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9707/): Hunk Companion <= 1.8.4 - Missing Authorization to Unauthenticated Arbitrary Plugin Installation/Activation (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-11972 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-11972 is a critical missing authorization vulnerability in Unknown Hunk Companion, published on 31 Dec 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-11972 exists.

Affected product: Unknown Hunk Companion. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11972/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11972/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-11972
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-11972
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-11972

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-11972/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.