CVE-2014-9735 in Slider Revolution Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The ThemePunch Slider Revolution (revslider) plugin before 3.0.96 for WordPress and Showbiz Pro plugin 1.7.1 and earlier for Wordpress does not properly restrict access to administrator AJAX functionality, which allows remote attackers to (1) upload and execute arbitrary files via an update_plugin action; (2) delete arbitrary sliders via a delete_slider action; and (3) create, (4) update, (5) import, or (6) export arbitrary sliders via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9735 affects two popular WordPress plugins ThemePunch Slider Revolution and Showbiz Pro, which are widely used for creating dynamic sliders and presentations on wordpress websites. This issue stems from insufficient access controls within the plugins' ajax functionality, creating a critical security flaw that can be exploited by remote attackers without authentication. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative ajax endpoints that should only be accessible to authenticated administrators, but instead allows unauthorized users to perform privileged operations through crafted requests. The affected versions of these plugins fail to properly validate user permissions before executing administrative functions, creating a pathway for privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution.
The technical flaw manifests in multiple attack vectors that leverage the insecure ajax handling within the plugins. Attackers can exploit the update_plugin action to upload malicious files and execute arbitrary code on the target server, effectively gaining remote code execution capabilities. Additionally, the delete_slider action allows unauthorized deletion of existing sliders, potentially causing data loss or disruption of website functionality. The unspecified vectors for creating, updating, importing, and exporting sliders provide further attack surface for manipulating website content and potentially establishing persistence mechanisms. This vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks, where the plugin fails to verify that incoming requests originate from legitimate administrative users before processing privileged operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, affecting website owners who use the compromised plugins. Remote attackers can gain complete control over affected WordPress installations, enabling them to modify website content, steal sensitive data, inject malicious code, and potentially use the compromised sites as launch points for further attacks. The ability to upload arbitrary files creates a persistent backdoor risk, while the slider manipulation capabilities can be used to deface websites or redirect traffic to malicious destinations. Organizations using these plugins face potential data breaches, reputation damage, and regulatory compliance violations, particularly if the compromised sites contain sensitive user information or financial data. The vulnerability affects not just individual websites but can impact entire WordPress ecosystems where these plugins are widely deployed.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9735 require immediate action from affected organizations. The primary recommendation is to upgrade both ThemePunch Slider Revolution and Showbiz Pro plugins to their patched versions, specifically revslider version 3.0.96 and Showbiz Pro version 1.7.2 or later. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including restricting access to the wp-admin directory, implementing proper firewall rules to limit access to ajax endpoints, and conducting thorough security audits of all installed plugins. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in plugin-related requests, and regular vulnerability scanning should be performed to identify other potentially vulnerable components. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to filter malicious requests and establish incident response procedures for rapid remediation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 (Improper Authorization) and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) when used for remote code execution, making it a critical concern for cybersecurity teams managing wordpress environments.