CVE-2013-2707 in Login With Ajax
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Login With Ajax plugin before 3.1 for WordPress allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of arbitrary users for requests that modify this plugin s settings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2018
The CVE-2013-2707 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Login With Ajax plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability exists in versions prior to 3.1 and enables remote attackers to exploit the authentication mechanism by crafting malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate authenticated users. The flaw specifically targets the plugin's settings modification functionality, allowing unauthorized parties to manipulate administrative configurations without proper authorization. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the plugin's implementation, creating an avenue for attackers to leverage existing user sessions and perform unauthorized administrative actions.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the fundamental principle that web applications cannot distinguish between legitimate requests originating from authenticated users and malicious requests crafted by attackers. In the context of the Login With Ajax plugin, attackers can construct specially crafted web requests that, when executed by an authenticated user's browser, modify plugin settings without the user's knowledge or consent. This occurs because the plugin fails to implement anti-CSRF tokens or other validation mechanisms that would verify the authenticity of requests. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability through social engineering techniques, by enticing authenticated users to visit malicious websites or by embedding malicious content within trusted domains that trigger the CSRF attack.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2707 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential complete system compromise through plugin configuration manipulation. When attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability, they can modify critical plugin settings that may affect user authentication flows, session management, or other core functionalities. This could lead to account takeover scenarios, privilege escalation, or the complete disabling of authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where users have administrative privileges, as it allows attackers to modify settings that could permanently alter the security posture of the WordPress installation. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1548.002 which covers Account Manipulation through the exploitation of authentication bypass mechanisms. The impact is amplified by the fact that WordPress plugins often have extensive access to system resources and user data, making the compromise of any plugin a significant security concern.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2707 require immediate action to upgrade the affected Login With Ajax plugin to version 3.1 or later, which contains the necessary CSRF protection mechanisms. Organizations should also implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all WordPress plugins and themes remain up to date with the latest security fixes. Additional defensive measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers, enabling proper session management, and conducting regular security audits of installed plugins. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense by detecting and blocking suspicious request patterns. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of validating all user inputs and implementing proper anti-CSRF measures in web applications, particularly those handling authentication and authorization functions. Security teams should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous administrative activities that might indicate CSRF attack exploitation attempts.