Download Manager - RCE (CVE-2024-11740)

CVE-2024-11740 is a vulnerability in the Download Manager plugin for WordPress that allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary shortcodes due to improper input validation. This flaw could enable remote attackers to perform unauthorized actions, potentially leading to data leakage, content manipulation, or disruption of site functionality.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 10th of September 2025.

Data from the CrowdSec community indicates that exploitation of CVE-2024-11740 is highly selective and intelligence-driven. Threat actors use advanced reconnaissance and carefully choose their targets, often as part of sophisticated campaigns or advanced persistent threat operations. CrowdSec network telemetry also shows that exploitation of CVE-2024-11740 has significantly declined over the past week. Attack volumes are well below the long-term average, suggesting attackers are rapidly losing interest. The vulnerability appears to be falling out of active use across most threat landscapes.

Attackers exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the root URL (/?__wpdmxp=) with malicious shortcode payloads, targeting WordPress sites running the Download Manager plugin to execute arbitrary shortcodes without authentication.