CVE-2014-3845 in Color Picker
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the TinyMCE Color Picker plugin before 1.2 for WordPress allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of unspecified users for requests that change plugin settings via unknown vectors. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2017
The CVE-2014-3845 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the TinyMCE Color Picker plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability exists in versions prior to 1.2 and creates a significant security risk by allowing remote attackers to exploit the authentication mechanisms of unspecified users. The flaw specifically targets requests that modify plugin settings, potentially enabling unauthorized administrative actions without proper user consent or knowledge. The vulnerability's classification as CSRF aligns with CWE-352, which defines cross-site request forgery as a security weakness that enables attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The attack vector operates through manipulation of user sessions and authentication tokens, leveraging the trust relationship between the web application and the user's browser. This particular vulnerability demonstrates the inherent risks associated with plugin-based security systems where third-party components may introduce weaknesses that extend beyond the core WordPress platform.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the TinyMCE Color Picker plugin's request handling. Attackers can craft malicious requests that appear legitimate to the WordPress system because they exploit the existing authentication context of authenticated users. These requests can modify plugin configurations, potentially altering color schemes, user preferences, or other settings that may have broader implications for the site's functionality and security posture. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that the vulnerability may manifest through multiple pathways including crafted HTTP requests, manipulated form submissions, or even through social engineering techniques that trick users into executing malicious actions. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it operates at the plugin level rather than the core WordPress system, making it more difficult to detect and remediate through standard security updates. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the ATT&CK technique T1548.003, which involves exploiting weaknesses in application security controls to gain unauthorized access to system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks that could compromise the entire WordPress installation. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability could potentially modify plugin settings to disable security features, install malicious code, or create backdoors for persistent access. The authentication hijacking aspect means that users may unknowingly perform actions they never authorized, leading to potential data loss, content manipulation, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability's presence in a widely-used plugin increases the attack surface significantly, as many WordPress sites rely on TinyMCE for content management and editing functions. This makes the exploitation more likely and potentially more damaging across multiple installations. Organizations using affected versions of the plugin face risks of unauthorized administrative access, which could lead to complete site takeover, data breaches, or the deployment of malicious content that affects all users of the compromised system. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party components and implementing comprehensive security monitoring for plugin-based systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3845 should focus on immediate patching of the affected TinyMCE Color Picker plugin to version 1.2 or later, which contains the necessary CSRF protection mechanisms. System administrators should implement additional security controls including the use of anti-CSRF tokens, proper session management, and input validation for all plugin requests. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against unauthorized script execution and cross-site attacks. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security audits of all installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other third-party components. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect unusual patterns in plugin-related requests that could indicate CSRF attack attempts. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should include evaluation of plugin security controls to ensure that proper CSRF protection mechanisms are in place. The vulnerability highlights the necessity of maintaining updated security practices for WordPress installations, including regular updates to core software, themes, and plugins, as well as the implementation of robust security monitoring and incident response procedures. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious CSRF requests before they can affect the system.