CVE-2015-9433 in wp-social-bookmarking-light Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The wp-social-bookmarking-light plugin before 1.7.10 for WordPress has CSRF with resultant XSS via configuration parameters for Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, etc. in wp-admin/options-general.php?page=wp-social-bookmarking-light%2Fmodules%2Fadmin.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-9433 represents a critical security flaw in the wp-social-bookmarking-light WordPress plugin affecting versions prior to 1.7.10. This issue combines cross-site request forgery and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, creating a particularly dangerous attack vector that allows malicious actors to manipulate plugin configuration settings and subsequently execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of authenticated admin sessions. The vulnerability exists within the WordPress administration interface at the specific URL path wp-admin/options-general.php?page=wp-social-bookmarking-light/modules/admin.php where configuration parameters for various social media platforms including Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook are managed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of user input within the plugin's administrative configuration pages. When administrators access the social bookmarking settings, the plugin fails to implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms such as anti-forgery tokens or origin validation. This lack of protection allows attackers to craft malicious requests that, when executed by authenticated administrators, modify the plugin's configuration parameters. The configuration parameters for social media integration points become the attack surface where malicious values can be injected, particularly affecting the Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook integration settings. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and CWE-79, which covers Cross-Site Scripting, making it a compound vulnerability that amplifies its potential impact.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables attackers to gain persistent access to WordPress administrative interfaces through the manipulation of social media integration settings. Once successfully exploited, attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code that executes within the admin context, potentially allowing them to modify plugin configurations, create new administrator accounts, or even install backdoors. The attack requires minimal user interaction since it leverages existing administrative sessions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators regularly access the WordPress admin panel. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the entire WordPress installation, as successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for Valid Accounts and T1548.002 for Abuse of Functionality, as attackers can leverage legitimate administrative sessions to perform unauthorized actions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9433 require immediate plugin updates to version 1.7.10 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection mechanisms and input sanitization. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as enabling two-factor authentication for administrative accounts, regularly monitoring plugin update notifications, and conducting security audits of installed plugins. The WordPress core team recommends maintaining all plugins at their latest versions as a fundamental security practice, and organizations should establish automated update mechanisms where possible. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual configuration changes in plugin settings, particularly those related to social media integration points. Network security controls such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by filtering malicious requests targeting known attack patterns, though this approach is less effective against zero-day vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing of WordPress installations help identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in real-world scenarios.