CVE-2019-15770 in woo-address-book Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The woo-address-book plugin before 1.6.0 for WordPress has save calls without nonce verification checks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2023
The CVE-2019-15770 vulnerability affects the woo-address-book plugin for WordPress, specifically versions prior to 1.6.0, presenting a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of user data management within e-commerce environments. This vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper nonce verification during save operations, creating a pathway for unauthorized modifications to customer address information stored within the WordPress database. The issue is particularly concerning given that WordPress serves as the foundation for millions of websites, with WooCommerce being one of the most widely adopted e-commerce solutions, making this vulnerability a significant threat to online retail operations.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of cryptographic token verification in the plugin's save functions, which are designed to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks. When a user performs save operations within the address book functionality, the plugin should verify that the request originates from a legitimate source by checking a unique nonce value generated for each session. Without this verification mechanism, malicious actors can craft forged requests that appear to come from authenticated users, enabling them to manipulate address data without proper authorization. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, Cross-Site Request Forgery, which is classified as a critical weakness in web application security that allows attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, potentially enabling more severe attacks within the broader e-commerce ecosystem. Attackers could exploit this weakness to modify customer shipping addresses, redirect orders to fraudulent destinations, or even access sensitive personal information stored within the address book. The implications are particularly dire for businesses handling sensitive customer data, as this vulnerability could facilitate identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized access to customer accounts. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that WordPress installations often contain additional plugins and themes that may interact with the compromised address book functionality, potentially creating cascading security issues throughout the entire web application stack.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate plugin updates to version 1.6.0 or later, where nonce verification has been properly implemented. System administrators should conduct comprehensive security audits of all installed WordPress plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist within other components of their e-commerce infrastructure. The implementation of additional security measures such as web application firewalls, regular security scanning, and monitoring for unauthorized modifications to user data can provide layered protection against exploitation attempts. According to ATT&CK framework methodology, this vulnerability falls under the T1213.002 technique for Data from Information Repositories, where adversaries may exploit weak authentication mechanisms to access and modify stored data. Organizations should also implement proper input validation and output encoding practices to prevent potential exploitation through related attack vectors, while maintaining regular patch management procedures to address similar vulnerabilities in the future.