CVE-2016-5837 in WordPress
Summary
by MITRE
WordPress before 4.5.3 allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and remove a category attribute from a post via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2019
WordPress versions prior to 4.5.3 contained a critical access control vulnerability that enabled remote attackers to circumvent intended security restrictions and manipulate post metadata. This vulnerability specifically affected the category attribute removal functionality within the WordPress content management system, allowing unauthorized users to strip category assignments from posts without proper authorization. The flaw existed in the underlying permission checking mechanisms that govern user access to post editing operations, creating a pathway for privilege escalation attacks. The unspecified vectors suggesting the vulnerability could be exploited through multiple attack surfaces including API endpoints, administrative interfaces, or direct database manipulation attempts. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the integrity of WordPress's user role management system. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically targeting insufficient access control over sensitive operations. From an operational perspective, this flaw could enable attackers to manipulate content categorization, potentially disrupting content organization, affecting search engine optimization, and undermining content management workflows. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as it could be leveraged to hide malicious content within legitimate categories or to systematically remove content from specific categorizations to evade detection. Security researchers identified this issue as a significant concern for WordPress installations that rely heavily on content categorization for site organization and user navigation. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly minor permission controls can create substantial security risks when not properly implemented. Organizations running affected WordPress versions faced potential exposure to data integrity violations and could experience operational disruptions from unauthorized content modifications. The flaw also represents a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks where attackers might use category manipulation as a stepping stone to broader system compromise. This vulnerability was addressed through WordPress version 4.5.3 which implemented enhanced access control checks for post category operations and improved validation of user permissions during metadata modification processes. The fix aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it prevents unauthorized account exploitation through privilege escalation pathways. Security professionals should prioritize patching affected systems to prevent potential exploitation and maintain the integrity of content management operations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust access control implementation in web applications and the necessity of regular security updates to protect against emerging threats. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized access attempts and ensure proper user role assignments to minimize potential impact from similar vulnerabilities. This case study serves as a reminder of how access control flaws can create cascading security implications within content management systems and the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security measures. The remediation process involved strengthening authentication checks and implementing additional validation layers for all post modification operations, particularly those affecting metadata attributes.