CVE-2015-9492 in ThemeMakers SmartIT Premium Responsive Theme
Summary
by MITRE
The ThemeMakers SmartIT Premium Responsive theme through 2015-05-15 for WordPress allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information (such as user_login, user_pass, and user_email values) via a direct request for the wp-content/uploads/tmm_db_migrate/wp_users.dat URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-9492 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the ThemeMakers SmartIT Premium Responsive WordPress theme. This vulnerability affects versions released through May 15, 2015, and exposes sensitive user account data through an improperly secured file access mechanism. The flaw manifests when attackers can directly access a specific URI path that contains user credential information, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations utilizing this theme.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and improper file permissions within the theme's file structure. The wp_users.dat file, which contains user_login, user_pass, and user_email values, is stored in an accessible location within the wp-content/uploads/tmm_db_migrate directory. This configuration allows unauthorized remote attackers to bypass normal WordPress authentication mechanisms and directly retrieve user account information through simple HTTP requests. The vulnerability specifically maps to CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and demonstrates poor input validation and access control implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with comprehensive user account information that can be leveraged for further attacks. The exposed user_pass values in plain text format enable immediate account takeover attempts, while user_login and user_email details facilitate social engineering campaigns and targeted phishing attacks. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers credential harvesting through various means, and represents a prime example of how theme vulnerabilities can create persistent security risks for WordPress installations. The exposure of multiple user credentials simultaneously increases the potential impact significantly, as it allows attackers to compromise multiple accounts with a single successful exploitation attempt.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement several mitigation strategies to protect their WordPress installations. The primary remediation involves removing or securing the vulnerable wp_users.dat file through proper access control mechanisms, ensuring that sensitive data cannot be accessed through direct URI requests. System administrators should also implement web application firewalls to block access to suspicious URI patterns and conduct thorough security audits of all installed themes and plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, regular updates and patch management procedures should be enforced to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities, with specific attention to the WordPress theme ecosystem where such information disclosure flaws frequently occur. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper file permissions and access control mechanisms in web applications, particularly those handling user authentication data.