# CVE-2024-28000: LiteSpeed Cache - Privilege Escalation

> Live exploitation tracking for CVE-2024-28000 by the CrowdSec Live Exploit Tracker, built from real-world attack data crowdsourced from CrowdSec's global network.

Page: https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2024-28000

## Key facts

- **Exploitation phase:** Background Noise. Continuous low-level scanning or exploitation attempts are observed, mostly opportunistic and automated.
- **CVSS score:** 9.8
- **Public exploit available:** Yes
- **Affected products:** LiteSpeed Technologies LiteSpeed Cache
- **Weaknesses:** CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)
- **Tags:** wordpress

## Description

Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability in LiteSpeed Technologies LiteSpeed Cache litespeed-cache allows Privilege Escalation.This issue affects LiteSpeed Cache: from 1.9 through 6.3.0.1.

## CrowdSec analysis

[CVE-2024-28000](https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/CVE-2024-28000) is a critical privilege escalation vulnerability in LiteSpeed Cache versions 1.9 through 6.3.0.1, caused by incorrect privilege assignment. This flaw allows attackers to gain elevated permissions, potentially leading to full system compromise, data theft, or service disruption.

CrowdSec has been tracking this vulnerability and its exploits since 24th of September 2025.

CrowdSec network data shows that most actors exploiting CVE-2024-28000 rely on broad, untargeted scans with minimal filtering. The activity is largely automated and opportunistic in nature.
CrowdSec data also reveals a clear uptick in attacks involving CVE-2024-28000 over the past week. Activity is above the usual baseline, suggesting growing attention from attackers. This may reflect rising awareness, recent exploit releases, or expanded targeting efforts.

Attackers exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to WordPress endpoints such as `/wp-json/wp/v2/users` and `/wp-json/wp/v2/users/{user_id}` with manipulated `litespeed_role` and `litespeed_hash` cookies, allowing them to escalate privileges and create administrator accounts without authentication.

## Timeline

- 2024-08-21: CVE Published. CVE-2024-28000 is published to NVD.
- 2025-09-24: Rule Released. CrowdSec releases a rule to detect CVE-2024-28000 exploitation attempts against the CrowdSec Network.
- 2025-09-25: CrowdSec First Seen. CrowdSec observes in-the-wild exploitation of CVE-2024-28000 for the first time.

## References

- https://packetstorm.news/files/id/200819/
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/litespeed-cache/wordpress-litespeed-cache-plugin-6-3-0-1-unauthenticated-privilege-escalation-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
- https://thehackernews.com/2024/08/critical-flaw-in-wordpress-litespeed.html?m=1
- https://patchstack.com/articles/critical-privilege-escalation-in-litespeed-cache-plugin-affecting-5-million-sites?_s_id=cve
- https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei-templates/blob/main/http/cves/2024/CVE-2024-28000.yaml

## Live exploitation data

The [Live Exploit Tracker page](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/cves/CVE-2024-28000) follows observed exploitation activity for CVE-2024-28000. [Request an API key](https://tracker.crowdsec.net/request-api-key) for full access to its exploitation timeline, attacking IP addresses and blocklists.