CVE-2020-36841 in Smart Coupons Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/16/2024
The WooCommerce Smart Coupons plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to a missing capability check on the woocommerce_coupon_admin_init function in versions up to, and including, 4.6.0. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to send themselves gift certificates of any value, which could be redeemed for products sold on the victim’s storefront.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-36841 affects the WooCommerce Smart Coupons plugin for WordPress, representing a critical authorization bypass flaw that undermines the security model of e-commerce transactions. This vulnerability exists within the woocommerce_coupon_admin_init function and impacts all versions up to and including 4.6.0, creating a significant risk for online retailers who rely on the plugin for gift certificate management. The flaw stems from a missing capability check that should have verified user permissions before allowing coupon creation operations, effectively removing the necessary access controls that protect sensitive administrative functions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit the absence of proper authorization validation within the coupon generation process. When the woocommerce_coupon_admin_init function executes without verifying that the requesting user possesses the appropriate administrative privileges, it creates an opening for malicious actors to manipulate the coupon creation workflow. This flaw specifically targets the gift certificate functionality where attackers can generate coupons with arbitrary values without proper authentication, bypassing the standard WordPress capability checks that should prevent unauthorized access to administrative features. The vulnerability operates at the application level, exploiting weaknesses in the plugin's permission handling rather than targeting underlying system vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this authorization bypass is substantial for affected e-commerce platforms, as it enables attackers to create unlimited gift certificates of any monetary value. These generated coupons can be redeemed against products sold on the victim's storefront, potentially resulting in significant financial losses for the business. The vulnerability affects the integrity of the coupon system and undermines consumer trust, as attackers could potentially flood the system with high-value coupons or create fraudulent transactions. Additionally, the impact extends beyond immediate financial loss, as businesses may face reputational damage and potential regulatory scrutiny for failing to maintain proper security controls over their payment processing systems.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the patched version of the WooCommerce Smart Coupons plugin, which addresses the missing capability check in the woocommerce_coupon_admin_init function. Security teams should also implement network-level monitoring to detect unusual coupon creation patterns and establish proper access controls to limit administrative privileges. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern administrative access controls. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques where attackers leverage missing access controls to gain unauthorized administrative capabilities, potentially leading to further compromise of the WordPress installation and underlying infrastructure.