CVE-2016-10955 in cysteme-finder Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The cysteme-finder plugin before 1.4 for WordPress has unrestricted file upload because of incorrect session tracking.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2023
The CVE-2016-10955 vulnerability affects the cysteme-finder plugin version 1.3 and earlier for WordPress platforms, representing a critical security flaw that allows unauthorized file uploads through improper session management mechanisms. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's file upload functionality where the system fails to properly validate user sessions before processing file upload requests, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors to bypass authentication controls.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate session tracking implementation within the plugin's upload handler. When users attempt to upload files through the cysteme-finder plugin interface, the system should verify that the user possesses valid session credentials before permitting the upload operation. However, the plugin's session validation mechanism is flawed, allowing attackers to upload files without proper authentication. This misconfiguration effectively removes the necessary access controls that should prevent unauthorized users from executing file upload operations, thereby creating an unrestricted file upload condition.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to WordPress installations using the affected plugin version. Attackers can leverage this flaw to upload malicious files such as web shells, backdoors, or other harmful executables directly to the web server. Once uploaded, these files can be executed by the web server, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or further lateral movement within the network. The impact extends beyond immediate code execution as attackers can establish persistent access, modify website content, or use the compromised system as a launchpad for attacking other systems within the network infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-434, which describes the weakness of unrestricted upload of file with dangerous type, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications. The improper session handling directly relates to CWE-305, which covers authentication bypass through flawed session management, making this a particularly dangerous combination of weaknesses. Organizations running affected WordPress installations face potential exposure to automated exploitation tools that specifically target such vulnerabilities in web applications.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.4 or later, which contain the necessary session validation fixes. Additionally, administrators should implement proper file type restrictions, validate file contents, and monitor upload directories for suspicious activity. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense, while regular security audits of installed plugins should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. The incident underscores the critical importance of proper session management and access controls in web application security, particularly in plugin ecosystems where third-party code can introduce significant security risks to otherwise secure WordPress installations.