CVE-2014-9394 in PWGRandom
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the PWGRandom plugin 1.11 and earlier for WordPress allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via the (1) pwgrandom_title or (2) pwgrandom_category parameter in the pwgrandom page to wp-admin/options-general.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2022
The CVE-2014-9394 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the PWGRandom WordPress plugin version 1.11 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of user input parameters during administrative operations, creating a dangerous attack surface that could enable remote threat actors to compromise WordPress administrator accounts. The flaw exists in the plugin's interaction with WordPress's administrative interface, particularly when processing requests to the wp-admin/options-general.php endpoint, which is a core administrative page for managing general WordPress settings.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper anti-CSRF token validation mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that leverage the legitimate administrative privileges of authenticated users. The vulnerability manifests through two specific parameter injection points: pwgrandom_title and pwgrandom_category, which are processed within the pwgrandom page context. These parameters are directly fed into the WordPress administrative workflow without adequate validation or token verification, allowing attackers to manipulate the administrative interface through forged requests that appear legitimate to the WordPress system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple CSRF exploitation to include potential cross-site scripting attacks, creating a particularly dangerous combination of attack vectors. When administrators unknowingly process malicious requests through the vulnerable plugin, attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code that executes within the administrative context. This dual nature of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation could result in complete administrative compromise, allowing attackers to modify plugin settings, inject malicious code into the WordPress environment, or potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. The attack requires minimal user interaction beyond visiting a malicious page or clicking on a crafted link, making it particularly effective for social engineering campaigns.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software implementations. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and insufficient session management practices that violate fundamental security principles for web application development. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through administrative access, as attackers who successfully exploit this flaw can manipulate WordPress configuration settings and potentially establish long-term access to the compromised system. The vulnerability also relates to T1078, which covers valid accounts usage, as it allows attackers to leverage legitimate administrator credentials without requiring additional authentication mechanisms.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2014-9394 requires immediate action to upgrade the PWGRandom plugin to a version that properly implements CSRF protection mechanisms. Organizations should ensure that all WordPress plugins are regularly updated and maintained, with particular attention to plugins that interact with administrative functions. The implementation of proper anti-CSRF tokens in all administrative requests represents the primary defensive measure, as this approach prevents unauthorized requests from being processed by the WordPress administrative interface. Additionally, administrators should implement network-level security controls such as web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious requests, and should regularly audit plugin configurations to ensure that only necessary administrative functions are exposed to user input. Regular security assessments of WordPress installations should include verification of plugin integrity and proper implementation of security controls to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into the system.