📄 Description (English)
The Enable jQuery Migrate Helper plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the `downgrade_jquery_version()` function in all versions up to, and including, 1.4.1. This is due to the function only verifying a nonce without checking user capabilities. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to downgrade the site-wide jQuery version from 3.7.1 to the legacy 1.12.4-wp release, which has knowns security vulnerabilities.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
The Enable jQuery Migrate Helper WordPress plugin (versions ≤1.4.1) contains an authorization bypass vulnerability allowing authenticated subscribers to downgrade jQuery from v3.7.1 to vulnerable v1.12.4-wp. While no public exploit exists, this enables attackers to introduce known jQuery vulnerabilities site-wide. The missing capability check combined with nonce-only validation creates a privilege escalation path for low-privileged users.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 28, 2026 21:32
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations operating WordPress-based government portals, banking customer portals, healthcare information systems, and e-commerce platforms are at risk. Government entities under NCA oversight, ARAMCO subsidiary web properties, STC customer-facing platforms, and financial institutions regulated by SAMA face potential compromise through jQuery vulnerability chains. The risk is elevated in organizations with weak user access controls or those managing multiple WordPress instances with shared plugin deployments.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government (NCA-regulated portals)
Banking (SAMA-regulated institutions)
Energy (ARAMCO and subsidiaries)
Telecommunications (STC, Mobily)
Healthcare (MOH systems)
E-commerce
Higher Education
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
T1548.002 - Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism (privilege escalation via nonce bypass)
T1548.003 - Sudo and Sudo Caching (capability check bypass)
T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application (WordPress plugin vulnerability)
T1199 - Trusted Relationship (authenticated user exploitation)
T1562.008 - Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools (jQuery downgrade to vulnerable version)
T1491.001 - Defacement (potential site compromise via jQuery vulnerabilities)
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
6.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Audit all WordPress installations for Enable jQuery Migrate Helper plugin presence and version
2. Restrict Subscriber-level user access to WordPress admin panels if not operationally required
3. Review user roles and capabilities; remove unnecessary admin/editor access for low-privilege accounts
4. Monitor jQuery version in use via browser console (check jQuery.fn.jquery) and verify it remains v3.7.1
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (until patch available):
5. Disable the Enable jQuery Migrate Helper plugin entirely if jQuery 1.x compatibility is not required
6. Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block requests containing 'downgrade_jquery_version' function calls
7. Use WordPress security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri) to monitor for unauthorized jQuery version changes
8. Implement file integrity monitoring on wp-content/plugins/enable-jquery-migrate-helper/ directory
9. Restrict plugin modification capabilities via wp-config.php: define('DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true)
DETECTION:
10. Monitor WordPress audit logs for user role changes and plugin modifications by low-privilege accounts
11. Alert on any jQuery version downgrades detected in site headers or console output
12. Track nonce validation failures in WordPress debug logs
13. Implement SIEM rules to detect multiple failed capability checks from same user session
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تدقيق جميع تثبيتات ووردبريس للتحقق من وجود مكون Enable jQuery Migrate Helper والإصدار
2. تقييد وصول المستخدمين على مستوى المشترك إلى لوحات تحكم ووردبريس إذا لم تكن مطلوبة تشغيليًا
3. مراجعة أدوار المستخدمين والقدرات؛ إزالة الوصول غير الضروري للمسؤولين/المحررين للحسابات منخفضة الامتياز
4. مراقبة إصدار jQuery المستخدم عبر وحدة تحكم المتصفح والتحقق من بقاء الإصدار v3.7.1
الضوابط التعويضية (حتى توفر التصحيح):
5. تعطيل مكون Enable jQuery Migrate Helper بالكامل إذا لم تكن توافقية jQuery 1.x مطلوبة
6. تنفيذ قواعد جدار حماية تطبيقات الويب (WAF) لحظر الطلبات التي تحتوي على استدعاءات دالة 'downgrade_jquery_version'
7. استخدام مكونات أمان ووردبريس (Wordfence, Sucuri) لمراقبة التغييرات غير المصرح بها في إصدار jQuery
8. تنفيذ مراقبة سلامة الملفات على دليل wp-content/plugins/enable-jquery-migrate-helper/
9. تقييد قدرات تعديل المكونات عبر wp-config.php: define('DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true)
الكشف:
10. مراقبة سجلات تدقيق ووردبريس لتغييرات أدوار المستخدمين وتعديلات المكونات من قبل الحسابات منخفضة الامتياز
11. التنبيه على أي تخفيضات إصدار jQuery المكتشفة في رؤوس الموقع أو مخرجات وحدة التحكم
12. تتبع فشل التحقق من nonce في سجلات تصحيح أخطاء ووردبريس
13. تنفيذ قواعد SIEM للكشف عن فحوصات القدرة المتعددة الفاشلة من نفس جلسة المستخدم
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Access Control Policy (unauthorized capability bypass)
ECC 2024 A.6.1.2 - User Registration and Access Rights Management
ECC 2024 A.7.1.1 - Information Security Roles and Responsibilities
ECC 2024 A.12.4.1 - Event Logging (audit trail of unauthorized modifications)
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AM-1 - Asset Management (inventory of vulnerable plugins)
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Access Control (privilege escalation prevention)
SAMA CSF PR.AC-4 - Access Rights (capability-based authorization)
SAMA CSF DE.AE-1 - Anomalies and Events (detection of unauthorized changes)
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.2 - Information Security Policies and Procedures
ISO 27001:2022 A.6.2 - Competence (secure coding practices)
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.2 - Privileged Access Rights (principle of least privilege)
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.3 - Information Access Restriction (capability checks)
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.4.1 - Event Logging and Monitoring
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 6.2 - Security Patches (vulnerable jQuery versions)
PCI DSS 7.1 - Least Privilege Access (subscriber capability escalation)
PCI DSS 10.2 - User Identity Verification (audit logging of unauthorized actions)
🔗 References & Sources 5
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https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/enable-jquery-migrate-helper/tags/1.4.1/clas...
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/enable-jquery-migrate-helper/tags/1.4.1/clas...
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/enable-jquery-migrate-helper/trunk/class-jqu...
security@wordfence.com
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/enable-jquery-migrate-helper/trunk/class-jqu...
security@wordfence.com
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/1a74d5f4-1dd8-4d49-b4ce-8ba7a...
security@wordfence.com