CVE-2014-9368 in twitterDash
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the twitterDash plugin 2.1 and earlier for WordPress allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via the username_twitterDash parameter in the twitterDash.php page to wp-admin/options-general.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2018
The CVE-2014-9368 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the twitterDash WordPress plugin version 2.1 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of user authentication tokens during administrative operations, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations. The flaw exists in the plugin's implementation of CSRF protection mechanisms, which fail to properly validate or enforce authentication for administrative actions. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows remote attackers to exploit the administrative interface through a carefully crafted malicious request that leverages the username_twitterDash parameter. This parameter is processed within the twitterDash.php file and subsequently passed through to the wp-admin/options-general.php page, where the administrative context is established. The vulnerability creates a direct pathway for attackers to execute unauthorized administrative actions without proper authentication.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the username_twitterDash parameter within the twitterDash.php page. When an administrator visits a malicious page or clicks on a compromised link, the attacker can craft a request that appears legitimate to the WordPress administrative interface. The flaw stems from the plugin's insufficient validation of the request origin and the absence of proper CSRF tokens in the administrative forms. This allows attackers to bypass the standard WordPress authentication checks that would normally prevent unauthorized modifications to administrative settings. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's ability to distinguish between legitimate administrative requests and maliciously crafted ones, creating a scenario where an attacker can perform administrative actions under the guise of an authenticated administrator. The XSS component of this vulnerability further amplifies the risk as it enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into the administrative interface, potentially leading to complete compromise of the WordPress installation.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-9368 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the WordPress configuration through the administrative interface. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can modify various plugin settings, potentially injecting malicious code or redirecting traffic to malicious destinations. The vulnerability particularly affects WordPress installations where the twitterDash plugin is active and where administrators have elevated privileges. The attack vector requires that a victim administrator visit a malicious page or be tricked into clicking on a compromised link, making this a classic social engineering target. The vulnerability's impact is compounded by the fact that it affects the core administrative functions of WordPress, potentially allowing attackers to modify user permissions, install malicious plugins, or alter the site's core functionality. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous for sites that rely heavily on administrative controls and user management features.
Security mitigations for CVE-2014-9368 primarily involve immediate plugin updates to versions that address the CSRF validation flaws. Organizations should ensure that all WordPress installations are running patched versions of the twitterDash plugin, as the vulnerability was resolved through proper implementation of CSRF token validation. System administrators should also implement additional security measures such as monitoring for unauthorized administrative changes, implementing proper input validation, and ensuring that all WordPress plugins are kept current with security patches. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses, and demonstrates the importance of proper authentication token implementation in web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through administrative access, as attackers can use the compromised administrative session to establish long-term access to the WordPress installation. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests targeting known CSRF vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of regular security audits of WordPress plugins and maintaining up-to-date security practices to prevent exploitation of similar flaws in other components of the WordPress ecosystem.