CVE-2015-9348 in sell-downloads Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The sell-downloads plugin before 1.0.8 for WordPress has insufficient restrictions on brute-force guessing of purchase IDs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2023
The CVE-2015-9348 vulnerability affects the sell-downloads plugin for WordPress, specifically versions prior to 1.0.8, presenting a significant security risk through inadequate protection against brute-force attacks targeting purchase identifiers. This flaw resides within the plugin's handling of purchase ID validation mechanisms, creating an exploitable weakness that allows unauthorized users to systematically guess valid purchase IDs through automated attack vectors. The vulnerability directly impacts the plugin's ability to maintain proper access controls and authentication boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive purchase information and transaction data to malicious actors.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's insufficient input validation and rate limiting controls for purchase ID requests. When users attempt to access download links or purchase information, the system fails to implement adequate protections against repeated guessing attempts that could lead to successful enumeration of valid purchase IDs. This weakness enables attackers to exploit the lack of proper throttling mechanisms, allowing them to conduct automated brute-force campaigns against the purchase ID space. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper account lockout mechanisms, rate limiting, or cryptographic protection around purchase ID generation and validation processes, making it susceptible to systematic exploitation through automated tools.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable financial fraud and unauthorized access to digital goods. Attackers can leverage the brute-force capabilities to discover valid purchase IDs and subsequently access download links, payment information, and related transaction data for legitimate customers. This exposure creates opportunities for unauthorized access to purchased digital content, potential identity theft through transaction data collection, and could facilitate further attacks on the WordPress site or associated user accounts. The vulnerability particularly affects e-commerce environments where digital downloads are sold through WordPress platforms, making it a critical concern for businesses relying on the sell-downloads plugin for their online sales operations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust rate limiting and brute-force protection mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. Organizations should immediately upgrade to version 1.0.8 or later of the sell-downloads plugin to address the identified vulnerability. Additional protective measures include implementing IP-based rate limiting, account lockout mechanisms after failed attempts, and cryptographic randomization of purchase ID generation. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls with brute-force detection capabilities and monitoring for suspicious access patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-307, which addresses inadequate protection against brute-force attacks, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for credential access through web application attacks. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify other vulnerable plugins and ensure proper implementation of authentication controls across all e-commerce platforms.