CVE-2016-10945 in PageLines Theme
Summary
by MITRE
The PageLines theme 1.1.4 for WordPress has wp-admin/admin-post.php?page=pagelines CSRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10945 affects the PageLines theme version 1.1.4 for WordPress, presenting a cross-site request forgery flaw within the administrative interface. This issue resides in the wp-admin/admin-post.php endpoint with a specific page parameter set to pagelines, creating a potential attack vector that could allow unauthorized actions to be performed on behalf of authenticated users. The flaw specifically targets the administrative functionality of the WordPress platform through a theme-specific administrative page, making it particularly concerning for sites utilizing this particular theme version.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-forgery tokens or validation mechanisms within the pagelines administrative endpoint. When an authenticated administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a crafted link, the attacker can potentially execute unauthorized administrative actions without the user's knowledge or consent. The vulnerability exploits the trust relationship between the WordPress admin interface and the user's browser session, leveraging the fact that the administrative endpoint does not verify the origin or authenticity of requests originating from external sources. This type of flaw falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities in software applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple administrative convenience issues, as it could enable attackers to perform critical operations such as modifying theme settings, updating content, or potentially escalating privileges within the WordPress environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain unauthorized control over the affected WordPress site's presentation layer, potentially leading to defacement, data manipulation, or serving as a stepping stone for further attacks within the compromised environment. The risk is particularly elevated when administrators are logged into their WordPress sites while browsing malicious content, as the CSRF attack can be executed without requiring additional authentication credentials.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the PageLines theme to a version that addresses the CSRF implementation flaw, as well as implementing additional security measures such as proper CSRF token validation in the theme's administrative components. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be executed, and regularly audit their WordPress installations for outdated themes and plugins that may contain similar vulnerabilities. This remediation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1547.001 for registry run keys for persistence, as attackers may attempt to establish footholds through compromised administrative interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and authentication checks within administrative endpoints, particularly in theme-specific implementations that extend WordPress's core functionality.