CVE-2019-16250 in Ocean Extra Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
includes/wizard/wizard.php in the Ocean Extra plugin through 1.5.8 for WordPress allows unauthenticated options changes and injection of a Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) token sequence.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-16250 affects the Ocean Extra plugin version 1.5.8 and earlier, which is a popular WordPress plugin designed to enhance theme customization capabilities. This issue resides within the includes/wizard/wizard.php file where the plugin fails to properly validate or authenticate requests made to its wizard functionality. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate plugin options without requiring authentication credentials, representing a critical security oversight that undermines the integrity of WordPress installations using this plugin.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication checks within the plugin's administrative interface. Attackers can exploit this weakness to inject CSS token sequences into the plugin's configuration options, potentially leading to unauthorized modifications of the website's appearance and functionality. This unauthenticated access to plugin settings creates a pathway for malicious actors to alter how the website renders, potentially affecting user experience and exposing underlying system vulnerabilities. The vulnerability specifically targets the wizard component that is intended to guide users through configuration processes, but due to inadequate security controls, it becomes a vector for unauthorized changes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple appearance modifications, as it represents a potential entry point for more sophisticated attacks. An attacker could leverage the ability to inject CSS tokens to manipulate how web pages are rendered, potentially leading to cross-site scripting scenarios or other client-side attacks. This vulnerability affects WordPress sites that have the Ocean Extra plugin installed, creating widespread exposure across numerous websites that rely on this plugin for theme customization. The lack of authentication requirements means that any visitor to the website could potentially exploit this flaw, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible sites.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a classic case of insufficient authentication mechanisms. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under privilege escalation techniques, as the vulnerability allows unprivileged users to gain administrative capabilities within the plugin's scope. Organizations should immediately update to version 1.5.9 or later of the Ocean Extra plugin to address this issue, as no known workarounds exist that would effectively mitigate the vulnerability without patching the underlying code. Additionally, administrators should conduct thorough audits of their WordPress installations to identify any other plugins that may exhibit similar authentication bypass vulnerabilities, implementing comprehensive security monitoring to detect unauthorized modifications to plugin configurations.