CVE-2016-10997 in beauty-premium Theme
Summary
by MITRE
The beauty-premium theme 1.0.8 for WordPress has CSRF with resultant arbitrary file upload in includes/sendmail.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10997 affects the beauty-premium WordPress theme version 1.0.8 and represents a critical security flaw that combines cross-site request forgery with arbitrary file upload capabilities. This vulnerability exists within the includes/sendmail.php file of the affected theme, creating a dangerous combination that allows attackers to execute malicious code on vulnerable WordPress installations. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and lack of proper authentication checks within the theme's contact form processing functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the theme's failure to implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms in the sendmail.php script. When users submit contact forms through the beauty-premium theme, the application processes these requests without verifying the authenticity of the request origin or requiring proper authentication tokens. This omission enables attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate users, bypassing standard security controls. The vulnerability specifically targets the file upload functionality that occurs during the email sending process, allowing attackers to upload malicious files to the server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with persistent access to compromised WordPress installations. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can upload web shells or other malicious payloads that enable remote code execution, data exfiltration, and further lateral movement within the network. The arbitrary file upload capability means that attackers can deploy various types of malicious software including backdoors, trojans, or information gathering tools. This vulnerability particularly affects WordPress sites using the beauty-premium theme, potentially compromising thousands of websites that have not updated to patched versions.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate theme updates to versions that address the CSRF and file upload flaws, implementation of proper input validation and authentication checks, and deployment of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious upload attempts. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security audits of their WordPress installations to identify other potentially vulnerable themes and plugins. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery, and CWE-434, which covers insecure file upload handling. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1190 for exploit public-facing application and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage the arbitrary file upload to establish persistent access and execute commands on compromised systems.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper security controls in web application development, particularly in content management systems where themes and plugins often contain complex functionality that can introduce security risks. Regular security assessments, automated vulnerability scanning, and maintaining up-to-date software versions are essential practices to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and monitoring systems to detect unauthorized file uploads and other suspicious activities that may indicate successful exploitation attempts.