WordPress Plugin Flaw Let Attackers Seize Administrative Control

by Esmeralda McKenzie
WordPress Plugin Flaw Let Attackers Seize Administrative Control

WordPress Plugin Flaw Let Attackers Seize Administrative Control

WordPress Plugin Flaw Let Attackers Take Administrative Set watch over

A important vulnerability has been found within the in vogue Profile Builder and Profile Builder Expert plugins, with over 50,000 active installations.

The flaw, identified throughout a routine audit of heaps of WordPress plugins, permits unauthenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and occupy administrative get entry to to centered websites without possessing memoir credentials.

EHA

CVE-2024-6695 – Unauthenticated Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

As reported by WPScan, the vulnerability tracked as CVE-2024-6695 has been assigned a CVSSv3.1 get of 9.8, indicating its important severity. The flaw was as soon as addressed and patched on July 11th, 2024, with the originate of plugin version 3.11.9.

The scenario has moreover been cataloged within the WordPress Vulnerability Database below WPVDB-ID 4afa5c85-ce27-4ca7-bba2-61fb39c53a5b.

Technical Breakdown

The vulnerability stems from inconsistencies in how the plugins take care of user-supplied electronic mail files throughout registration.

When a recent user registers, the plugin performs several checks to validate the electronic mail take care of and be definite that the user is no longer already registered. Then again, a flaw in these checks creates an exploitable difficulty.

function wppb_check_email_value( $message, $field, $request_data, $form_location ) {
    global $wpdb;

    if ( isset( $request_data['email'] ) ) {
        $request_data['email'] = apply_filters('wppb_before_processing_email_from_forms', stripslashes( $request_data['email'] ) );

        if ((isset($request_data['email']) && (trim($request_data['email']) == '')) && ($field['required'] == 'Yes'))
            return wppb_required_field_error($field["field-title"]);

        if (isset($request_data['email']) && !is_email(trim($request_data['email']))) {
            return __('The email you entered is not a valid email address.', 'profile-builder');
        }

        $users = $wpdb->get_results($wpdb->prepare("SELECT * FROM {$wpdb->users} WHERE user_email = %s", $request_data['email']));

        if (!empty($users)) { //register again
            if ($form_location == 'register')
                return __('This email is already in use.', 'profile-builder') . '
'
. __('Please try a different one!', 'profile-builder');
        }
    }
}

Right here’s a fast overview of the formula:

  1. Email Validation: The plugin validates the electronic mail take care of supplied throughout registration to be definite that it’s no longer always already in employ and is a legitimate electronic mail layout.
  2. Computerized Login: The user is robotically logged in with a subscriber function after a hit registration. This direction of involves producing a security nonce and retrieving the user object using the electronic mail take care of.
  3. Nonce Verification: The plugin then uses the generated nonce and user ID to log the user in with the corresponding privileges robotically.

The vulnerability arises from the shortage of consistency in going throughout the user-supplied electronic mail files at various stages of this direction of. This inconsistency permits attackers to manipulate the registration direction of and occupy administrative get entry to.

Affect and Mitigation

The implications of this vulnerability are severe, because it permits attackers to construct unauthorized actions with administrative privileges. This is in a position to doubtless outcome to your whole compromise of affected websites, including knowledge theft, defacement, and further exploitation.

Online web page directors using the Profile Builder and Profile Builder Expert plugins are strongly suggested to replace to version 3.11.9 on to mitigate the likelihood.

The replace addresses the vulnerability by continuously going through user-supplied electronic mail files and making improvements to security checks throughout registration.

A proof of belief demonstrating the exploitation of this vulnerability is scheduled to be released on August 5th, 2024.

This originate will seemingly provide further insights into the flaw’s mechanics and underscore the significance of timely updates and robust security practices.

Because the WordPress ecosystem grows, the invention of such vulnerabilities highlights the necessity for continuous vigilance and proactive security features to provide protection to websites and their users from emerging threats.

Source credit : cybersecuritynews.com

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