CVE-2017-8100 in CopySafe Web Protection Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
There is CSRF in the CopySafe Web Protection plugin before 2.6 for WordPress, allowing attackers to change plugin settings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-8100 represents a cross-site request forgery weakness within the CopySafe Web Protection plugin for WordPress systems. This particular flaw affects versions prior to 2.6, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations that rely on this plugin for web content protection. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of HTTP request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the plugin's administrative interfaces.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability allows malicious actors to manipulate plugin configurations without user consent or authorization. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or emails containing specially crafted requests that, when executed by an authenticated administrator, will modify the plugin settings. This occurs because the plugin fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same domain, relying instead on the browser's default behavior of automatically including cookies and authentication headers with requests. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative settings functionality of the plugin, potentially allowing attackers to disable security features, modify protection parameters, or even gain unauthorized access to protected content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, as it can compromise the overall security posture of WordPress installations. When an administrator visits a malicious site or clicks on compromised links, the CSRF attack can silently modify critical plugin settings that control content protection mechanisms. This could result in reduced security levels, unauthorized content access, or complete bypass of the plugin's intended protection features. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently browse untrusted websites or where social engineering attacks are common. The attack vector requires minimal technical expertise, making it accessible to threat actors with basic web knowledge and potentially leading to widespread compromise of WordPress sites using vulnerable plugin versions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-8100 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 2.6 or later, which contains the necessary CSRF protection mechanisms. Administrators should implement proper input validation and utilize anti-CSRF tokens for all administrative actions within the plugin's interface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses in web applications. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence through modification of security configurations. Additional defensive measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers, monitoring for unauthorized administrative changes, and conducting regular security audits of installed plugins. Organizations should also consider implementing network-based protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns associated with CSRF attacks. Regular vulnerability scanning and patch management processes should be enhanced to identify and remediate similar issues in other installed plugins and WordPress core components.