CVE-2016-10962 in icegram Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The icegram plugin before 1.9.19 for WordPress has CSRF via the wp-admin/edit.php option_name parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/25/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10962 affects the icegram plugin version 1.9.18 and earlier in the WordPress ecosystem, representing a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that undermines the security integrity of affected websites. This vulnerability specifically manifests within the wp-admin/edit.php endpoint where the option_name parameter fails to implement proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms, creating a significant attack vector for malicious actors to exploit.
The technical flaw stems from the absence of proper CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms when processing requests through the WordPress admin interface. When administrators or authorized users navigate to the edit.php page within the WordPress admin dashboard, the plugin processes the option_name parameter without verifying the authenticity of the request origin. This omission allows attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate administrative users, enabling unauthorized modifications to plugin configuration settings or potentially leading to privilege escalation within the WordPress environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, as it can facilitate more severe security breaches within WordPress installations. Attackers can leverage this CSRF vulnerability to modify plugin settings, potentially disabling security features, altering user permissions, or even injecting malicious code through compromised plugin configurations. The vulnerability becomes particularly dangerous when combined with other exploitation techniques, as it can serve as a foothold for further attacks within the WordPress ecosystem, potentially leading to complete compromise of the affected website.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through plugin updates to version 1.9.19 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection mechanisms. The implementation of CSRF tokens within the wp-admin/edit.php endpoint ensures that all requests are validated against legitimate administrative sessions, preventing unauthorized modifications. Additionally, administrators should conduct comprehensive security audits of their WordPress installations to identify any other plugins or themes that may be vulnerable to similar CSRF attacks, as this represents a common class of vulnerability in web applications.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper request validation and authentication mechanisms in web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the privilege escalation and persistence tactics, as attackers can use CSRF attacks to gain elevated privileges within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability also reflects weaknesses in the principle of least privilege and proper access control implementation, as the lack of request verification allows unauthorized modifications to administrative functions.
Security practitioners should implement additional protective measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious CSRF patterns, regular security scanning of WordPress installations for known vulnerabilities, and mandatory security updates for all plugin and theme components. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security practices within content management systems and highlights the importance of proper input validation and request authentication mechanisms in preventing unauthorized administrative actions within web applications. Organizations must also consider implementing security awareness training for administrators to recognize potential CSRF attack vectors and maintain vigilant monitoring of their WordPress installations for any suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts.