CVE-2007-1893 in WordPress
Summary
by MITRE
xmlrpc (xmlrpc.php) in WordPress 2.1.2, and probably earlier, allows remote authenticated users with the contributor role to bypass intended access restrictions and invoke the publish_posts functionality, which can be used to "publish a previously saved post."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-1893 represents a critical access control flaw in WordPress 2.1.2 and potentially earlier versions that directly impacts the security posture of web applications utilizing the platform. This issue resides within the xmlrpc.php component, which serves as the core interface for WordPress's XML-RPC API functionality. The vulnerability specifically targets the privilege escalation mechanism within the WordPress access control system, allowing authenticated users with minimal permissions to execute actions beyond their designated roles.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of user permissions within the XML-RPC API endpoints. When a user with the contributor role attempts to access the publish_posts functionality through xmlrpc.php, the system fails to properly verify whether the user possesses the necessary administrative privileges to perform this operation. This flaw exists in the permission checking logic that should normally prevent contributors from publishing posts, as this functionality is typically restricted to users with higher privileges such as editors or administrators. The vulnerability manifests because the XML-RPC interface does not adequately enforce the role-based access controls that are normally applied within the WordPress admin interface.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for WordPress installations as it enables attackers who have gained access to a contributor-level account to potentially publish unauthorized content to the website. This capability can be exploited to post malicious content, spam the site with unwanted material, or manipulate the content management system to achieve broader security objectives. The impact extends beyond simple content manipulation, as successful exploitation can lead to further compromise of the WordPress installation through the published content or by enabling additional attack vectors. This vulnerability particularly affects websites where contributor accounts are accessible to untrusted parties or where proper user access management has not been implemented.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues in software systems, specifically focusing on the inadequate enforcement of access restrictions for privileged operations. From an adversary perspective, this flaw maps to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics, as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to bypass intended access controls and execute unauthorized operations. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to WordPress 2.1.3 or later versions where this vulnerability has been patched, and administrators should review and enforce proper user role assignments to minimize the risk of unauthorized access to critical functionality. Additionally, network-level monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual activity patterns in xmlrpc.php access attempts, as this represents a common attack vector for automated exploitation attempts.