CVE-2019-15873 in profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities plugin before 2.8.6 for WordPress has remote code execution via an wp-admin/admin-ajax.php request with the action=pm_template_preview&html=<?php substring followed by PHP code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-15873 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within the profilegrid-user-profiles-groups-and-communities plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 2.8.6 and stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's administrative AJAX handling functionality. The flaw specifically manifests when processing requests to the wp-admin/admin-ajax.php endpoint with a particular action parameter structure that includes pm_template_preview followed by malformed HTML content containing PHP code. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code on the targeted WordPress installation, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability follows a classic command injection pattern where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into server-side execution contexts without proper sanitization or validation. The plugin's handling of the pm_template_preview action parameter fails to properly validate or escape the html parameter content, creating an environment where malicious PHP code can be injected and subsequently executed within the WordPress environment. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege and input validation, where the system accepts potentially dangerous content without proper security controls. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through HTTP requests without requiring any authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible WordPress installations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass full system compromise and potential data breaches. Successful exploitation allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to the WordPress installation, potentially enabling them to modify content, steal user credentials, install backdoors, or deploy additional malware. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of WordPress and can lead to complete control over the affected website, including the ability to manipulate user profiles, group memberships, and community interactions that the plugin manages. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes improper validation of sanity checks, and demonstrates how insufficient input validation can lead to arbitrary code execution. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates through the standard WordPress AJAX interface, making it difficult to distinguish from legitimate traffic and potentially bypassing standard security monitoring systems.
Organizations and system administrators should immediately implement mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, including upgrading to the patched version 2.8.6 or later of the profilegrid plugin. The primary remediation involves updating the plugin to a version that properly validates and sanitizes the html parameter content before processing. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious AJAX requests containing PHP code patterns, restricting access to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php endpoints through network-level controls, and monitoring for unusual activity patterns in the WordPress administrative interface. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their WordPress installations to identify any other potentially affected plugins or themes that might exhibit similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for execution through PHP and T1071.001 for application layer protocol usage, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the attack surface. Regular security audits and patch management procedures should be strengthened to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced through third-party plugins and themes in the WordPress ecosystem.