CVE-2015-1580 in Redirection
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the Redirection Page plugin 1.2 for WordPress allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that (1) change plugin settings or conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via the (2) source or (3) redir parameter in an add action in the redirection-page to wp-admin/options-general.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2018
The CVE-2015-1580 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw in the Redirection Page plugin version 1.2 for WordPress systems. This vulnerability exposes WordPress installations to sophisticated attack vectors that can compromise administrative privileges and enable unauthorized modifications to plugin configurations. The flaw specifically affects the plugin's handling of user requests within the WordPress admin interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit legitimate administrator sessions for unauthorized actions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of HTTP request origins and missing anti-CSRF tokens within the plugin's administrative interfaces. Attackers can craft malicious requests that leverage the legitimate authentication of administrators to perform unauthorized operations on the WordPress site. The vulnerability manifests through three distinct parameter manipulation points: the source parameter, the redir parameter, and the add action within the redirection-page to wp-admin/options-general.php endpoint. These parameters are processed without proper verification of request authenticity, allowing attackers to construct forged requests that appear legitimate to the WordPress system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to execute a range of malicious activities within the compromised WordPress environment. Administrators who visit malicious websites or click on compromised links can unknowingly trigger requests that modify plugin settings, potentially leading to persistent backdoors or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability also creates conditions conducive to cross-site scripting attacks, as the same flawed parameter handling that enables CSRF can also be exploited for XSS vector exploitation. This dual nature of the vulnerability significantly increases the attack surface and potential damage that can be achieved by threat actors.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as aligning with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. The flaw also corresponds to techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1548.001 tactic for hijacking legitimate user sessions and T1059.001 for command and control through web-based exploitation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched plugin versions, implementing proper anti-CSRF token validation, and configuring additional security layers such as Content Security Policy headers to prevent unauthorized script execution. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper input validation and session management in WordPress plugin development, particularly for administrative interfaces that handle sensitive configuration changes.
The remediation approach must address both the immediate exploitation vectors and the underlying architectural weaknesses that enabled the vulnerability. WordPress administrators should ensure that all plugins are kept current with security patches, as this vulnerability was likely addressed in subsequent plugin versions. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, though these should not replace proper code-level fixes. Regular security audits of WordPress installations should include verification of plugin security configurations and monitoring for unauthorized administrative changes that might indicate successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder that even seemingly minor plugin components can create significant security risks when proper security controls are not implemented in the development lifecycle.