CVE-2017-14990 in WordPress
Summary
by MITRE
WordPress 4.8.2 stores cleartext wp_signups.activation_key values (but stores the analogous wp_users.user_activation_key values as hashes), which might make it easier for remote attackers to hijack unactivated user accounts by leveraging database read access (such as access gained through an unspecified SQL injection vulnerability).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-14990 represents a critical security flaw in WordPress version 4.8.2 that stems from inconsistent credential storage practices within the application's database schema. This issue specifically affects how WordPress handles activation keys for user accounts during the registration process, creating a significant attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors with database read privileges.
The technical flaw manifests in WordPress's handling of two distinct user activation mechanisms within its database structure. While the system properly hashes and secures the wp_users.user_activation_key field using cryptographic hashing algorithms, it stores the wp_signups.activation_key values in plain text format. This inconsistency creates a dangerous scenario where attackers with read access to the database can directly extract cleartext activation keys, enabling them to compromise user accounts that have not yet been activated. The vulnerability becomes particularly dangerous when combined with other database access exploits such as SQL injection attacks, which can provide attackers with the necessary database read privileges to extract these cleartext values.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability significantly undermines WordPress's account security model and creates multiple attack vectors for threat actors. The ability to hijack unactivated user accounts represents a sophisticated attack method that can be leveraged for account takeover, credential stuffing attacks, or as a stepping stone for further system compromise. The impact extends beyond simple account theft, as compromised activation keys can be used to gain unauthorized access to user accounts before they are properly activated, effectively bypassing the intended security controls. This vulnerability particularly affects WordPress installations that may have been compromised through SQL injection attacks or other database access vulnerabilities, as the cleartext storage makes exploitation straightforward for attackers who have already gained read access to the database.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with several established threat models and attack patterns documented in the cybersecurity community. This issue demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represents a failure in proper cryptographic key management practices. The vulnerability can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1213 (Data from Information Repositories) as it involves unauthorized access to stored credentials through database exploitation. Organizations running WordPress installations may face significant risks when this vulnerability is combined with other exploits, as attackers can systematically harvest activation keys from the wp_signups table to compromise multiple unactivated accounts, potentially leading to widespread account takeover scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from WordPress administrators and security teams. The most effective approach involves upgrading to a patched version of WordPress that addresses this inconsistent credential storage behavior. Additionally, database access controls should be strengthened through proper privilege management, ensuring that database users have minimal required access rights and that read access to sensitive tables is restricted. Organizations should implement database activity monitoring to detect unauthorized access patterns and consider implementing database encryption at rest to protect against unauthorized data extraction. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining consistent security practices across all database fields and storage mechanisms, as inconsistent approaches can create exploitable gaps in security architecture. Security teams should conduct thorough audits of their database schema to identify similar inconsistencies in credential storage practices across all application components and ensure that all sensitive data is properly hashed and secured according to industry best practices.