CVE-2017-18569 in my-wp-translate Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The my-wp-translate plugin before 1.0.4 for WordPress has CSRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2023
The CVE-2017-18569 vulnerability represents a cross-site request forgery flaw identified in the my-wp-translate plugin version prior to 1.0.4 for WordPress. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-352 category, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The issue stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper anti-CSRF mechanisms when processing user requests, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations that utilize this particular plugin. The vulnerability allows malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users who visit compromised web pages or click on malicious links.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs due to the absence of proper request validation mechanisms within the plugin's processing functions. When a user with administrative privileges accesses certain plugin endpoints, the system does not verify the authenticity of the request origin or validate that the request was genuinely initiated by the authenticated user. This lack of validation creates an opening for attackers to craft malicious requests that can be executed without the user's knowledge or consent. The vulnerability specifically affects WordPress installations where the my-wp-translate plugin is installed and active, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently access the WordPress admin interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation concerns and can lead to serious administrative compromise within WordPress environments. An attacker could potentially modify translation settings, alter plugin configurations, or even gain unauthorized access to sensitive data through the compromised plugin interface. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires minimal user interaction to exploit, often only requiring the victim to visit a malicious website while logged into their WordPress administration panel. This makes the attack vector highly effective in real-world scenarios where users may inadvertently trigger the malicious requests through social engineering or compromised websites. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 which covers Valid Accounts and T1548 which addresses Abuse of Functionality, as it allows for unauthorized administrative actions through legitimate plugin interfaces.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2017-18569 involves immediate plugin updates to version 1.0.4 or later, which contains the necessary anti-CSRF protections. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as monitoring for unauthorized plugin modifications and ensuring that all WordPress components remain up to date with the latest security patches. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and proper access controls can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper input validation and request verification mechanisms in web applications, particularly in content management systems where plugins can significantly expand attack surfaces. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that may exist within their plugin ecosystem. The incident highlights the necessity of following secure coding practices and implementing proper security controls such as CSRF tokens and origin validation to prevent unauthorized administrative actions within web applications.