CVE-2019-10271 in Ultimate Member Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the Ultimate Member plugin 2.39 for WordPress. It allows unauthorized profile and cover picture modification. It is possible to modify the profile and cover picture of any user once one is connected. One can also modify the profiles and cover pictures of privileged users. To perform such a modification, one first needs to (for example) intercept an upload-picture request and modify the user_id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-10271 represents a critical authorization flaw within the Ultimate Member WordPress plugin version 2.39, specifically targeting user profile and cover image management functionalities. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms that allow authenticated users to manipulate sensitive user data regardless of their privileges or the target user's status. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of image upload requests where the user_id parameter is not properly validated against the authenticated user's permissions, creating a pathway for privilege escalation and unauthorized data modification.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple but effective interception and modification technique where an attacker can capture legitimate image upload requests and alter the user_id parameter to target any user account within the WordPress installation. This process directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a clear breakdown in the plugin's authentication and authorization framework. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. The flaw essentially allows attackers to perform unauthorized modifications to user profiles and cover pictures, potentially including privileged accounts, which can lead to significant data integrity and confidentiality breaches.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple profile manipulation, as it can enable attackers to compromise user privacy, spread malicious content, or establish persistent access through compromised user accounts. The ability to modify privileged user profiles creates opportunities for attackers to gain deeper system access or manipulate user permissions, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments with elevated user privileges. Attackers can exploit this weakness to conduct social engineering campaigns, deface user profiles, or establish backdoor access through compromised accounts, while the lack of proper logging or audit trails makes detection of such activities challenging. The vulnerability affects all WordPress installations using the Ultimate Member plugin version 2.39 and potentially exposes sensitive user data to unauthorized modification.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-10271 should prioritize immediate patching of the Ultimate Member plugin to version 2.40 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement network monitoring to detect anomalous image upload patterns and parameter modifications, while also enforcing strict input validation on all user_id parameters within the plugin's API endpoints. Additional security measures include implementing role-based access controls, regular security audits of WordPress plugins, and maintaining up-to-date security monitoring tools that can detect unauthorized modifications to user profile data. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper access control implementation and input validation in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content and profile management functionalities.