CVE-2014-10381 in user-domain-whitelist Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The user-domain-whitelist plugin before 1.5 for WordPress has CSRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2023
The CVE-2014-10381 vulnerability affects the user-domain-whitelist plugin for WordPress versions prior to 1.5, presenting a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that undermines the security integrity of affected systems. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's handling of user domain whitelisting functionality, where the absence of proper anti-CSRF mechanisms creates an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the plugin fails to validate the origin of requests made to its administrative endpoints, enabling attackers to craft malicious requests that appear legitimate to the WordPress installation.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the plugin's lack of anti-CSRF token validation in its administrative forms and processing endpoints. When administrators access the plugin's configuration interface or perform domain whitelisting operations, the system does not require a unique, unpredictable token to verify that requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. This absence of token validation creates a pathway for attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the user and the web application, allowing them to manipulate the plugin's configuration without proper authorization. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the user domain whitelisting level, which could potentially allow attackers to expand their attack surface by adding malicious domains to trusted lists.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, as it provides attackers with a mechanism to manipulate user domain access controls within WordPress installations. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability could add malicious domains to the whitelist, potentially enabling further attacks through phishing or credential harvesting techniques. The consequences could include unauthorized access to user accounts, data exfiltration, or the establishment of persistent backdoors through compromised domains. Additionally, the vulnerability affects the overall security posture of WordPress installations by weakening the access control mechanisms that should protect sensitive administrative functions. Organizations relying on this plugin for domain management would face increased risk of unauthorized modifications to their security policies, potentially leading to broader compromise of their web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate plugin updates to version 1.5 or later, where anti-CSRF protections have been implemented. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected plugin across their WordPress installations and ensure proper patching procedures are followed. The implementation of additional security measures such as web application firewalls, proper input validation, and regular security audits can help reduce the attack surface. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1566.001 for spearphishing attachments, highlighting the potential for privilege escalation and initial access through this flaw. Organizations should also consider implementing security monitoring to detect anomalous administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around domain whitelisting operations. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security plugins and implementing robust security controls to protect against common web application flaws that could compromise entire WordPress ecosystems.