CVE-2020-36748 in Dokan Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/01/2023
The Dokan plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in versions up to, and including, 3.0.8. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on the handle_order_export() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to trigger an order export via a forged request granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2026
The CVE-2020-36748 vulnerability affects the Dokan plugin for WordPress, which is widely used for creating multi-vendor marketplaces. This security flaw exists in versions up to and including 3.0.8, representing a significant risk to e-commerce platforms that rely on the plugin for their operations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate security controls within the plugin's order management functionality, specifically in the handle_order_export() function that processes export requests. The absence of proper nonce validation creates an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of administrators.
Cross-site request forgery represents a serious web application vulnerability that allows attackers to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability in Dokan's handle_order_export() function lacks proper validation of nonce tokens, which are cryptographic values used to verify that a request originates from a legitimate source within the same session. This missing validation mechanism means that an attacker can craft a malicious request that appears to come from a legitimate administrative user, bypassing the normal authentication and authorization checks that should protect sensitive operations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication from the attacker, relying instead on social engineering techniques to trick administrators into executing malicious requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data export functionality and can potentially compromise the entire marketplace ecosystem. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability can trigger order exports that may reveal sensitive customer information, including personal details, purchase histories, and transaction data. This exposure creates significant privacy and security risks for both merchants and customers, potentially leading to data breaches and compliance violations. The vulnerability also undermines the integrity of the marketplace by enabling unauthorized modification of order data, which could result in financial losses, fraudulent activities, and damage to business reputation. Additionally, the ability to perform automated order exports without proper authorization can lead to resource exhaustion and denial of service conditions.
Organizations using the Dokan plugin should immediately update to version 3.0.9 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the nonce validation issue. The fix implements proper validation of nonce tokens in the handle_order_export() function, ensuring that all export requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits, monitoring for suspicious administrative activities, and maintaining up-to-date security configurations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1566.001 for Phishing, as the attack requires social engineering to trick administrators into executing malicious requests. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and security headers to provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities.