CVE-2019-15865 in breadcrumbs-by-menu Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The breadcrumbs-by-menu plugin before 1.0.3 for WordPress has CSRF.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-15865 affects the breadcrumbs-by-menu plugin for WordPress, specifically versions prior to 1.0.3, and represents a cross-site request forgery vulnerability that poses significant security risks to WordPress installations. This type of vulnerability allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users within the WordPress admin environment, potentially leading to complete compromise of affected sites. The issue stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper anti-CSRF protection mechanisms, making it susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors who can manipulate user sessions and execute unintended administrative operations.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's inability to validate the origin of requests made to its administrative endpoints. When a WordPress administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a compromised link, the attacker can craft requests that exploit the plugin's functionality without the user's knowledge or consent. This occurs because the plugin does not implement CSRF tokens or other validation mechanisms to ensure that requests originate from legitimate sources within the WordPress admin interface. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's administrative features that handle breadcrumb menu configurations, allowing attackers to modify or manipulate menu structures that are used for navigation within WordPress sites. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a vulnerability where an attacker tricks a victim into performing actions they did not intend to execute.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple menu manipulation, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities within the WordPress environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability could potentially modify breadcrumb configurations to redirect users to malicious websites, alter navigation paths to confuse or mislead visitors, or even use the compromised plugin as a stepping stone for further attacks within the WordPress installation. The attack surface is particularly concerning because breadcrumbs are fundamental navigation elements that are often used in conjunction with other plugin functionalities, potentially allowing for more extensive compromise of the site's integrity and security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-15865 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.0.3 or later, which contain the necessary CSRF protection mechanisms. System administrators should also implement additional security measures such as monitoring for unauthorized administrative changes, reviewing access logs for suspicious activity, and ensuring that all WordPress plugins are regularly updated and maintained. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper input validation and request origin verification in web applications, particularly in administrative interfaces where elevated privileges can be exploited. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and security monitoring solutions that can detect and prevent CSRF attacks, as well as following the principle of least privilege when assigning administrative access to WordPress users. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the essential security controls needed to prevent unauthorized modifications to critical website components and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices across all web application components.