CVE-2020-36712 in Kali Forms Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/07/2023
The Kali Forms plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Unauthenticated Arbitrary Post Deletion in versions up to, and including, 2.1.1. This is due to the kaliforms_form_delete_uploaded_file function lacking any privilege or user protections. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to delete any site post or page with the id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-36712 affects the Kali Forms plugin for WordPress, specifically versions up to and including 2.1.1. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity and availability of WordPress sites utilizing this plugin. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the plugin's core functionality, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to manipulate the platform without proper authentication. The affected plugin is widely used for form creation and management within the WordPress ecosystem, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for site administrators and security professionals.
The technical flaw manifests in the kaliforms_form_delete_uploaded_file function which lacks proper privilege checks and user authentication mechanisms. This function is designed to handle file deletion operations but operates without verifying whether the requesting user possesses appropriate permissions or is authenticated. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit the id parameter to target any post or page within the WordPress site. This parameter serves as the primary attack vector enabling remote code execution through deletion operations that can compromise entire website structures.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for affected WordPress installations. Attackers can leverage this flaw to delete critical content including blog posts, pages, media files, and other important website assets without requiring any credentials or authorization. The impact extends beyond simple data loss as deletion of core website components can render sites inaccessible or severely degraded. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege as defined in cybersecurity best practices and represents a clear violation of access control mechanisms that should protect WordPress sites from unauthorized modifications. The vulnerability can be exploited by anyone with access to the affected website, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the plugin is widely deployed.
The security implications of CVE-2020-36712 align with common attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and persistence categories. This vulnerability enables attackers to perform unauthorized modifications to website content, potentially leading to further exploitation opportunities including data exfiltration, defacement, or service disruption. Organizations using the Kali Forms plugin are particularly at risk as this vulnerability affects the fundamental integrity of WordPress content management systems. The flaw also demonstrates a failure in proper input validation and access control implementation, which should be addressed through comprehensive security reviews of plugin code. Security professionals should immediately implement mitigation measures including plugin updates, access control restrictions, and monitoring for suspicious deletion activities. The vulnerability underscores the importance of regular security assessments and the necessity of maintaining updated software versions to prevent exploitation of known security flaws. This issue exemplifies why organizations must enforce strict security policies and conduct regular vulnerability assessments to protect against such critical threats in their web infrastructure.