CVE-2020-36756 in 10WebAnalytics Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2023
The 10WebAnalytics plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in versions up to, and including, 1.2.8. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on the create_csv_file() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to create a CSV file 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 • 07/12/2023
The CVE-2020-36756 vulnerability affects the 10WebAnalytics WordPress plugin, specifically targeting versions up to and including 1.2.8. This represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of web applications by exploiting a fundamental weakness in request validation mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from insufficient protection measures within the plugin's codebase, creating an exploitable condition that could allow malicious actors to manipulate the system's behavior without proper authentication.
The technical flaw manifests in the create_csv_file() function which lacks proper nonce validation, a critical security control that ensures requests originate from legitimate sources within the WordPress ecosystem. Nonces serve as time-based tokens that verify the authenticity of administrative actions and prevent unauthorized operations from being executed. When this validation is absent or incorrectly implemented, attackers can craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, specifically targeting administrators who may unknowingly trigger these actions through social engineering tactics.
This vulnerability operates under the principles of cross-site request forgery as defined by CWE-352, where an attacker can induce a victim to perform actions they did not intend to execute. The operational impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as the ability to create CSV files could potentially expose sensitive user information, disrupt normal plugin operations, or serve as a foothold for more extensive attacks. The unauthenticated nature of the exploit means that even without prior access credentials, attackers can leverage this weakness to compromise systems that rely on the plugin for analytics data collection.
The security implications of CVE-2020-36756 align with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1566 which covers credential harvesting through social engineering. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious links or embedding payloads that, when clicked by administrators, automatically execute the CSV creation function. This creates a dangerous scenario where legitimate administrators become unwitting participants in malicious activities, as the forged requests appear to come from trusted sources within the WordPress administration interface.
Organizations should immediately update to patched versions of the 10WebAnalytics plugin to remediate this vulnerability, as the lack of authentication requirements makes it particularly dangerous. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing proper nonce validation throughout the plugin's codebase and ensuring all administrative functions require robust verification mechanisms. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual CSV file creation patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, while administrators should be trained to recognize and avoid suspicious links that could trigger such attacks.