CVE-2015-4697 in Google Analyticato Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Google Analyticator Wordpress Plugin before 6.4.9.3 rev @1183563.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2021
The CVE-2015-4697 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the Google Analyticator WordPress plugin, affecting versions prior to 6.4.9.3. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's handling of administrative requests and authentication mechanisms, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations that rely on this tool for analytics tracking. The flaw allows attackers to execute unauthorized administrative actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent, potentially leading to complete compromise of affected websites.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the plugin's administrative interfaces. When administrators access the plugin's configuration pages, the application fails to verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same domain. This absence of proper origin checking and token generation creates an exploitable condition where malicious actors can craft specially crafted requests that appear to come from authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically impacts the plugin's ability to distinguish between legitimate administrative operations and maliciously crafted requests, enabling attackers to perform actions such as modifying analytics settings, accessing sensitive configuration data, or potentially executing arbitrary code within the plugin's context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for further compromise within WordPress environments. Once exploited, the CSRF attack could allow unauthorized modification of analytics tracking codes, enabling attackers to redirect traffic to malicious domains or inject tracking scripts that harvest user data. The vulnerability affects WordPress installations where the Google Analyticator plugin is installed and actively used, particularly impacting sites that rely on the plugin for tracking user behavior and site performance metrics. Given that many WordPress sites use this plugin for basic analytics functionality, the potential attack surface is significant, especially when considering that administrators often have elevated privileges within the WordPress environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of the Google Analyticator plugin to version 6.4.9.3 or later, which incorporates proper CSRF token validation and origin checking mechanisms. Security administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as monitoring for unusual administrative activities, implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns, and ensuring that only trusted administrators have access to plugin configuration interfaces. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses, and demonstrates how insufficient input validation and authentication checks can create exploitable conditions in web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege for plugin administrators and regularly audit plugin configurations to identify and remediate similar security gaps across their WordPress installations.
This vulnerability exemplifies the broader security challenges associated with WordPress plugin ecosystems, where third-party components may introduce significant security risks if not properly maintained and validated. The flaw underscores the importance of regular security updates and the necessity of implementing comprehensive security monitoring for all components within WordPress environments. Additionally, the vulnerability highlights the need for developers to follow established security best practices, including proper implementation of anti-CSRF measures, input validation, and authentication checks. Organizations should also consider adopting security frameworks such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and ATT&CK framework, which emphasize the importance of preventing and detecting unauthorized administrative actions that could lead to complete system compromise.