CVE-2012-6499 in Age Verification
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in age-verification.php in the Age Verification plugin 0.4 and earlier for WordPress allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a URL in the redirect_to parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/03/2025
The CVE-2012-6499 vulnerability represents a critical open redirect flaw within the Age Verification plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability specifically affects versions 0.4 and earlier of the plugin, creating a significant security risk for WordPress websites that implement this age verification functionality. The flaw resides in the age-verification.php script where user input is not properly validated or sanitized before being used to redirect users to external websites. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious URLs with crafted redirect_to parameters that point to phishing sites or malicious domains, effectively bypassing the intended age verification process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the WordPress plugin architecture. When users attempt to access age-restricted content, the plugin processes a redirect_to parameter that should ideally be validated against a whitelist of acceptable domains or properly encoded to prevent malicious redirection. However, the vulnerable code fails to implement proper sanitization measures, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary URLs that get executed as redirects. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-601, which specifically addresses open redirect vulnerabilities where web applications redirect users to unvalidated external URLs. The flaw essentially creates a trust relationship manipulation scenario where legitimate users are unknowingly directed to malicious sites.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-6499 extends beyond simple redirection attacks, as it provides attackers with a vector for sophisticated phishing campaigns and social engineering operations. When users encounter age verification prompts on legitimate websites, they often trust the redirection process without suspicion. Attackers can leverage this trust by redirecting users to carefully crafted phishing pages that mimic legitimate banking, social media, or e-commerce sites. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which covers phishing attacks using malicious links, and T1566.002 for spearphishing with links. The attack chain typically begins with an initial compromise of a WordPress site through the vulnerable plugin, followed by the deployment of malicious redirect URLs that can harvest user credentials or install malware.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-6499 require immediate action from WordPress site administrators to address the vulnerable plugin version. The most effective immediate solution involves upgrading to a patched version of the Age Verification plugin or completely removing the plugin if it is no longer necessary. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding practices within the WordPress plugin code can prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring. Site administrators should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict redirect behavior and monitor for suspicious redirect patterns in web server logs. Organizations should conduct regular security audits of their WordPress installations to identify and remediate other potential open redirect vulnerabilities within their plugin ecosystem. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper parameter validation in web applications and highlights the need for security-conscious development practices that follow established frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten security principles.