CVE-2013-5672 in Testimonial plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the IndiaNIC Testimonial plugin 2.2 for WordPress allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) add a testimonial via an iNIC_testimonial_save action; (2) add a listing template via an iNIC_testimonial_save_listing_template action; (3) add a widget template via an iNIC_testimonial_save_widget action; insert cross-site scripting (XSS) sequences via the (4) project_name, (5) project_url, (6) client_name, (7) client_city, (8) client_state, (9) description, (10) tags, (11) video_url, or (12) is_featured, (13) title, (14) widget_title, (15) no_of_testimonials, (16) filter_by_country, (17) filter_by_tags, or (18) widget_template parameter to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2025
The CVE-2013-5672 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the IndiaNIC Testimonial plugin version 2.2 for WordPress systems, exposing multiple cross-site request forgery attack vectors that could enable unauthorized administrative actions. This vulnerability specifically targets the wp-admin/admin-ajax.php endpoint which serves as a central communication point for WordPress AJAX functionality, making it a prime target for exploitation. The flaw stems from inadequate validation of request origins and missing anti-CSRF tokens in the plugin's administrative interfaces, particularly affecting three distinct administrative actions: testimonial creation, listing template management, and widget template configuration. These administrative functions are accessible through the iNIC_testimonial_save, iNIC_testimonial_save_listing_template, and iNIC_testimonial_save_widget actions respectively, each presenting unique attack surfaces for malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the absence of proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the plugin's WordPress administrative framework. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious web pages or email attachments that automatically submit requests to the vulnerable WordPress installation when a logged-in administrator visits the page. The attack requires no authentication credentials from the attacker since the malicious requests are executed in the context of the currently authenticated administrator session. The vulnerability extends beyond simple CSRF to include cross-site scripting components, as multiple input parameters across different administrative forms lack proper sanitization and validation. Parameters such as project_name, project_url, client_name, client_city, client_state, description, tags, video_url, title, widget_title, no_of_testimonials, filter_by_country, filter_by_tags, and widget_template all present XSS attack vectors when processed without adequate input filtering.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5672 is severe and multifaceted, potentially allowing attackers to completely compromise WordPress administrative privileges and execute arbitrary code within the target system. Successful exploitation could result in unauthorized testimonial additions that might contain malicious links or content, template modifications that could disrupt website functionality, or widget configurations that could redirect users to malicious sites. The XSS components pose additional risks by potentially enabling attackers to inject malicious scripts that could harvest administrator cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform other malicious activities within the victim's browser context. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation. The vulnerability affects WordPress installations where the IndiaNIC Testimonial plugin is active, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple administrators have access to the system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-5672 require immediate action including plugin version updates to the latest available secure release from IndiaNIC, implementation of proper CSRF token validation mechanisms, and comprehensive input sanitization across all administrative interfaces. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as restricting access to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php through firewall rules, implementing Content Security Policy headers, and conducting regular security audits of installed plugins. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing during plugin development and the necessity of maintaining up-to-date software components. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious AJAX requests, while also establishing monitoring procedures to identify unauthorized administrative activities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other installed plugins, as this vulnerability demonstrates the common pattern of insufficient CSRF protection in WordPress administrative interfaces. The remediation process must also include user education regarding the risks of visiting untrusted websites while logged into administrative sessions, as this vulnerability relies heavily on social engineering aspects to achieve successful exploitation.