CVE-2024-4858 — MEDIUM (CVSS 5.3) AI Security Vulnerability

CISO Take

Any unauthenticated attacker can overwrite the OpenAI API key in Testimonial Carousel for Elementor (≤10.2.0), disabling AI features or substituting attacker-controlled credentials. Update to 10.2.1+ immediately and rotate your OpenAI API key — assume it may have been tampered with. If patching is delayed, deactivate the plugin.

Risk Assessment

Medium CVSS but trivial to exploit at scale. Zero authentication required, network-accessible, low complexity — ideal for automated WordPress scanner campaigns. Impact is confined to integrity of AI configuration rather than data exfiltration or code execution, but the zero-barrier exploitation lowers the effective risk threshold for opportunistic attackers mass-scanning WordPress deployments.

Affected Systems

Package	Ecosystem	Vulnerable Range	Patched
testimonial_carousel_for_elementor	—	—	No patch

Do you use testimonial_carousel_for_elementor? You're affected.

Severity & Risk

CVSS 3.1

5.3 / 10

EPSS

0.2%

chance of exploitation in 30 days

Higher than 41% of all CVEs

Source: EPSS v3 — FIRST.org

Exploitation Status

Exploit Available

Exploitation: MEDIUM

Sophistication

Trivial

Exploitation Confidence

medium

○ Public PoC indexed (trickest/cve)

Composite signal derived from CISA KEV, CISA SSVC, EPSS, trickest/cve, and Nuclei templates.

Attack Surface

AV Network

AC Low

PR None

UI None

S Unchanged

C None

I Low

A None

Recommended Action

6 steps

Patch: update to version 10.2.1 or later.
Rotate your OpenAI API key immediately post-patch — treat the stored key as compromised.
If patching is delayed, deactivate the plugin entirely.
Add OpenAI API usage alerts to detect anomalous spend or unexpected key changes.
Review server logs for unauthenticated POST requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php targeting action=save_testimonials_option_callback.
Audit all WordPress plugins storing third-party AI API keys for similar missing-capability-check patterns.

CISA SSVC Assessment

Decision Track

Exploitation none

Automatable Yes

Technical Impact partial

Source: CISA Vulnrichment (SSVC v2.0). Decision based on the CISA Coordinator decision tree.

Classification

Auth Bypass DoS API Plugin AML.T0029 - Denial of AI Service AML.T0049 - Exploit Public-Facing Application AML.T0055 - Unsecured Credentials AML.T0081 - Modify AI Agent Configuration

Compliance Impact

This CVE is relevant to:

EU AI Act

Art.9 - Risk management system

ISO 42001

A.6.2.3 - AI system access control

NIST AI RMF

MANAGE-2.2 - Mechanisms exist to sustain AI risk management

OWASP LLM Top 10

LLM07 - Insecure Plugin Design

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-4858?

Any unauthenticated attacker can overwrite the OpenAI API key in Testimonial Carousel for Elementor (≤10.2.0), disabling AI features or substituting attacker-controlled credentials. Update to 10.2.1+ immediately and rotate your OpenAI API key — assume it may have been tampered with. If patching is delayed, deactivate the plugin.

Is CVE-2024-4858 actively exploited?

Proof-of-concept exploit code is publicly available for CVE-2024-4858, increasing the risk of exploitation.

How to fix CVE-2024-4858?

1. Patch: update to version 10.2.1 or later. 2. Rotate your OpenAI API key immediately post-patch — treat the stored key as compromised. 3. If patching is delayed, deactivate the plugin entirely. 4. Add OpenAI API usage alerts to detect anomalous spend or unexpected key changes. 5. Review server logs for unauthenticated POST requests to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php targeting action=save_testimonials_option_callback. 6. Audit all WordPress plugins storing third-party AI API keys for similar missing-capability-check patterns.

What systems are affected by CVE-2024-4858?

This vulnerability affects the following AI/ML architecture patterns: WordPress AI plugin integrations, OpenAI API integrations, AI-powered content generation pipelines.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2024-4858?

CVE-2024-4858 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (MEDIUM). The EPSS exploitation probability is 0.19%.

Technical Details

NVD Description

The Testimonial Carousel For Elementor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the 'save_testimonials_option_callback' function in versions up to, and including, 10.2.0. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update the OpenAI API key, disabling the feature.

Exploitation Scenario

Attacker enumerates WordPress sites running Testimonial Carousel for Elementor via plugin version fingerprinting (readme.txt, response headers). Without any credentials, sends a crafted POST to /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php with action=save_testimonials_option_callback and a malicious openai_api_key parameter. Plugin stores the value without authorization check. AI testimonial generation immediately fails (DoS) or routes through attacker's OpenAI account. Full attack chain is automatable — a single scan-and-exploit script can compromise thousands of sites simultaneously.