CVE-2017-14725 in WordPress
Summary
by MITRE
Before version 4.8.2, WordPress was susceptible to an open redirect attack in wp-admin/edit-tag-form.php and wp-admin/user-edit.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14725 represents a critical open redirect flaw in WordPress versions prior to 4.8.2, specifically affecting the administrative interfaces located in wp-admin/edit-tag-form.php and wp-admin/user-edit.php. This vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-601 Open Redirect, which occurs when an application redirects users to external domains without proper validation of the target URL. The flaw allows attackers to craft malicious links that redirect users from legitimate WordPress administrative pages to malicious websites, potentially enabling phishing attacks and credential theft.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the WordPress administrative interface. When users navigate to the edit tag form or user edit pages, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate redirect parameters that are passed through URL query strings. Attackers can exploit this by manipulating the redirect parameter to point to arbitrary external domains, creating a deceptive user experience where legitimate administrative pages appear to redirect to trusted domains while actually leading users to malicious sites. This opens the door for social engineering attacks where users might be tricked into entering credentials on fake login pages that appear to be legitimate WordPress administrative interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection attacks, as it creates a significant attack surface for more sophisticated threats. Security researchers have documented that such open redirect vulnerabilities can be leveraged in conjunction with other attack vectors to create more effective phishing campaigns, where the initial redirect appears to come from a trusted WordPress domain, increasing user trust and the likelihood of credential compromise. The vulnerability affects WordPress administrators and users who might encounter these malicious redirects while performing routine administrative tasks, potentially leading to unauthorized access to administrative accounts and full system compromise.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to WordPress version 4.8.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the open redirect vulnerability. Additional defensive measures include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious redirect patterns, conducting regular security audits of administrative interfaces, and establishing user awareness training to recognize potential phishing attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 Phishing and the broader security principle of validating all user-supplied data to prevent unauthorized redirection attacks. Security teams should also consider monitoring for unusual redirect patterns in web server logs and implementing proper access controls to limit exposure of administrative interfaces to untrusted networks.