CVE-2015-9388 in mtouch-quiz Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The mtouch-quiz plugin before 3.1.3 for WordPress has wp-admin/edit.php CSRF with resultant XSS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2023
The CVE-2015-9388 vulnerability affects the mtouch-quiz plugin version 3.1.2 and earlier in WordPress environments, representing a critical security flaw that combines cross-site request forgery and cross-site scripting attack vectors. This vulnerability specifically targets the wp-admin/edit.php administrative interface, making it particularly dangerous as it operates within the privileged WordPress administration area where users typically have elevated permissions and access to sensitive data.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient cross-site request forgery protection mechanisms within the mtouch-quiz plugin's handling of administrative requests. When an authenticated administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the vulnerability allows an attacker to execute unauthorized actions against the WordPress installation without the user's knowledge or consent. The CSRF protection is inadequate because the plugin fails to properly validate the origin of requests or implement proper anti-CSRF tokens, enabling attackers to forge requests that appear legitimate to the WordPress administration system.
The resultant cross-site scripting vulnerability occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape user input before rendering it in the administrative interface. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of the administrator's browser session. The combination of these two vulnerabilities means that an attacker can first use CSRF to perform unauthorized actions and then leverage the XSS component to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to complete administrative compromise of the WordPress site.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or modification. An attacker with access to an administrator's session could potentially install malicious plugins, modify content, steal sensitive user data, or even establish persistent backdoors within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability affects the entire WordPress ecosystem where the mtouch-quiz plugin is installed, making it a significant concern for any organization relying on WordPress for content management. The exploitation requires minimal user interaction, as the CSRF attack can be triggered through simple web navigation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently browse untrusted websites.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses, and also relates to CWE-79, covering Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence, as attackers can use the compromised administrator session to maintain long-term access to the system. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms, as well as robust anti-CSRF token implementation in WordPress plugins. Organizations should immediately update to mtouch-quiz plugin version 3.1.3 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address both the CSRF and XSS components of this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious administrative activity can provide additional layers of protection while awaiting the patch deployment.