CVE-2015-6523 in Portfolio Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the Portfolio plugin before 1.05 for WordPress allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of administrators for requests that have unspecified impact via a request to the instagram-portfolio page in wp-admin/options-general.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2022
The CVE-2015-6523 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the Portfolio plugin for WordPress systems prior to version 1.05. This vulnerability exposes WordPress installations to significant security risks by allowing remote attackers to manipulate authenticated sessions through carefully crafted malicious requests. The flaw specifically targets the instagram-portfolio page located within the wp-admin/options-general.php administrative interface, making it particularly dangerous as it operates within the privileged administrative context of the WordPress platform. The vulnerability's classification as a CSRF issue means that an attacker can trick an authenticated administrator into executing unintended actions without their knowledge or consent, effectively hijacking their administrative session.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms within the affected plugin's code implementation. When administrators navigate to the instagram-portfolio page in the WordPress admin area, the plugin fails to validate the authenticity of incoming requests adequately. This validation gap creates an opportunity for attackers to construct malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities in other parts of the web application to submit forged requests that appear legitimate to the WordPress system. The unspecified impact mentioned in the vulnerability description suggests that the consequences of successful exploitation could encompass various administrative functions, potentially including configuration changes, data manipulation, or privilege escalation within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and directly impacts the integrity of WordPress's authentication mechanisms, as it allows unauthorized modification of administrative settings through legitimate administrative interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6523 extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of WordPress installations using the vulnerable Portfolio plugin. Administrators who visit malicious websites or are tricked into clicking on compromised links could unknowingly execute administrative actions that alter the site's configuration, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's location within wp-admin/options-general.php makes it particularly dangerous because this area typically contains sensitive configuration options that affect the entire WordPress installation. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to install malicious code, modify user permissions, or alter critical site settings that would otherwise require explicit administrator consent. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers valid accounts and T1566.002 which covers spearphishing with a link, demonstrating how such vulnerabilities enable broader attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-6523 primarily involve immediate plugin updates to version 1.05 or later, which would contain the necessary anti-CSRF protections. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including the use of security headers such as Content Security Policy to limit the scope of potential CSRF attacks, regular monitoring of administrative interfaces for suspicious activity, and implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense by detecting and blocking suspicious requests to administrative endpoints. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other plugins or themes. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping all WordPress components updated and maintaining robust security practices throughout the application stack, as even minor vulnerabilities in third-party plugins can create significant entry points for attackers targeting WordPress environments.