CVE-2015-9475 in Pont Theme
Summary
by MITRE
The Pont theme 1.5 for WordPress has insufficient restrictions on option updates.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2024
The CVE-2015-9475 vulnerability affects the Pont theme version 1.5 for WordPress, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of affected websites. This vulnerability stems from insufficient restrictions on option updates within the theme's implementation, creating a pathway for unauthorized modification of WordPress configuration settings. The flaw exists in the theme's handling of user input and administrative privileges, allowing malicious actors to exploit the weakness and manipulate core WordPress options without proper authentication or authorization.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control mechanisms that permit unauthorized users to perform privileged actions. In the context of WordPress themes, this manifests as inadequate validation of user roles and capabilities when processing theme options updates. Attackers can leverage this weakness to modify critical configuration parameters, potentially gaining elevated privileges or compromising the entire WordPress installation. The vulnerability specifically targets the theme's administrative interface where option updates are processed, bypassing standard WordPress security checks that should normally validate user permissions before allowing configuration changes.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-9475 extends beyond simple configuration tampering, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to compromised sites. Once exploited, the vulnerability allows malicious actors to modify theme settings that may include database connection details, plugin configurations, or other sensitive parameters. This weakness can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting, data exfiltration, or the installation of backdoors. The vulnerability affects all WordPress installations using the Pont theme version 1.5, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no complex exploitation techniques beyond basic web application attack vectors.
Organizations and website administrators should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest version of the Pont theme where the vulnerability has been patched, conducting thorough security audits of all installed themes and plugins, and implementing proper access controls for theme customization features. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following ATT&CK framework principles for theme security, specifically addressing the T1059.001 technique related to command and script injection in web application contexts. Regular security monitoring, including the implementation of web application firewalls and proper logging of theme option changes, becomes essential for detecting potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, administrators should ensure that only authorized personnel have access to theme customization interfaces and that proper role-based access controls are enforced throughout the WordPress installation to prevent unauthorized modifications to core system parameters.