CVE-2011-0760 in WP Related Posts
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the configuration screen in wp-relatedposts.php in the WP Related Posts plugin 1.0 for WordPress allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that insert cross-site scripting (XSS) sequences via the (1) wp_relatedposts_title, (2) wp_relatedposts_num, or (3) wp_relatedposts_type parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2017
The CVE-2011-0760 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the WP Related Posts plugin version 1.0 for WordPress platforms. This vulnerability exists within the configuration screen of the plugin's wp-relatedposts.php file, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations that utilize this specific plugin version. The flaw enables remote attackers to exploit the authentication mechanisms of administrators through carefully crafted malicious requests that can manipulate the plugin's configuration parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the plugin's administrative interface. Attackers can manipulate three specific parameters during configuration updates: wp_relatedposts_title, wp_relatedposts_num, and wp_relatedposts_type. When these parameters are processed without adequate validation or anti-CSRF tokens, malicious actors can construct forged requests that appear legitimate to the WordPress administrative system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it combines CSRF exploitation with XSS payload injection capabilities, allowing attackers to not only modify plugin settings but also inject malicious scripts that can execute within the administrator's browser session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration manipulation, as it creates a persistent threat vector for attackers seeking to compromise WordPress administrator accounts. Once an administrator is tricked into visiting a malicious page or clicking on a crafted link, the attacker can silently modify the plugin settings to include XSS payloads that will execute whenever the administrator views the affected pages. This creates a potential for credential theft, session hijacking, or further privilege escalation attacks within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability essentially provides attackers with a method to establish persistent access to the administrative interface through legitimate administrative actions.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. The flaw also corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1548.002, which covers privilege escalation through abuse of administrative credentials. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately update to a patched version of the WP Related Posts plugin, implement proper CSRF token validation mechanisms, and conduct security audits of all installed WordPress plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious administrative activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date plugins and implementing robust input validation practices to prevent such security breaches in WordPress environments.