CVE-2016-20074 in Lazy Content Slider Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/15/2026
WordPress Lazy Content Slider Plugin 3.4 contains a cross-site request forgery vulnerability that allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions by crafting malicious HTML forms. Attackers can trick authenticated administrators into submitting POST requests to the plugin settings page via lzcs_admin.php to modify plugin configuration parameters like lzcs_color and lzcs_count.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2026
The WordPress Lazy Content Slider Plugin version 3.4 contains a critical cross-site request forgery vulnerability that presents significant security risks to WordPress installations. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-352 category, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery flaws in web applications. The flaw exists within the plugin's administrative interface where it fails to implement proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious HTML forms that automatically submit POST requests to the vulnerable lzcs_admin.php endpoint. The vulnerability allows unauthorized modification of critical plugin configuration parameters including lzcs_color and lzcs_count settings. This type of attack leverages the trust relationship between the web application and the user's browser, enabling malicious actors to perform actions on behalf of authenticated administrators without their knowledge or consent. The attack vector specifically targets the administrative settings page where legitimate users with administrative privileges are tricked into submitting requests that alter plugin behavior and potentially compromise the security posture of the entire WordPress installation.
The operational impact of this CSRF vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes and can lead to more severe security consequences. When administrators are tricked into submitting malicious requests, they unknowingly modify plugin settings that could affect content display, visual appearance, and potentially create backdoor access points. The vulnerability enables attackers to change color schemes and content counts which might be used as part of a broader attack strategy to manipulate user experience or hide malicious activities. According to ATT&CK framework category TA0001, this vulnerability represents a privilege escalation technique where attackers leverage existing administrative access to perform unauthorized actions. The attack requires minimal technical expertise and can be executed through social engineering tactics, making it particularly dangerous for WordPress sites where administrators regularly visit external websites and may be exposed to malicious content. The lack of proper CSRF tokens or validation mechanisms in the plugin's administrative interface creates an exploitable gap that directly violates security best practices for web application development.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper CSRF protection measures and ensuring that all administrative actions require secure validation. The most effective immediate solution involves adding anti-CSRF tokens to all administrative forms and validating these tokens on server-side processing. Plugin developers should implement the same security measures recommended by OWASP for CSRF protection, including the use of unique, unpredictable tokens that are tied to the user session. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security layers such as role-based access controls and regular security audits of third-party plugins. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date plugins and implementing comprehensive security monitoring for WordPress installations. Security teams should establish procedures for regularly scanning for known vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins and ensure that all administrative interfaces include proper validation mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should be educated about the risks of CSRF attacks and trained to recognize potential social engineering attempts that could lead to exploitation of such vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing can help identify similar weaknesses in other components of the WordPress ecosystem, ensuring a more robust overall security posture.