CVE-2021-24328 in WP Login Security and History Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/02/2021
The WP Login Security and History WordPress plugin through 1.0 did not have CSRF check when saving its settings, not any sanitisation or validation on them. This could allow attackers to make logged in administrators change the plugin's settings to arbitrary values, and set XSS payloads on them as well
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2021
The WP Login Security and History WordPress plugin version 1.0 contained a critical security vulnerability that stemmed from inadequate input validation and cross-site request forgery protections. This flaw existed within the plugin's administrative settings management functionality, where the developers failed to implement proper CSRF tokens during the configuration saving process. The vulnerability created a pathway for authenticated attackers to manipulate plugin settings without proper authorization, effectively bypassing the security controls that should have protected the administrative interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exposed the plugin to two distinct attack vectors that could be exploited simultaneously. The absence of input sanitization and validation meant that any data submitted through the plugin's settings form could be processed without proper filtering or verification. This lack of sanitization created a direct pathway for cross-site scripting attacks, allowing attackers to inject malicious payloads directly into the plugin's configuration parameters. The combination of these weaknesses created a particularly dangerous scenario where attackers could not only modify plugin behavior but also persist malicious code within the administrative interface.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability posed significant risks to WordPress installations using the affected plugin. The flaw required only that an administrator be logged into the WordPress dashboard for exploitation to occur, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative credentials might be compromised through other means. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to modify security settings in ways that could weaken the overall security posture of the WordPress installation. The ability to inject XSS payloads meant that the vulnerability could serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or gain persistent access to the administrative interface.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. This classification indicates that the flaw represents a fundamental failure in the application's security architecture to properly validate and authenticate administrative actions. The lack of input sanitization also corresponds to CWE-120, which deals with buffer overflow conditions that can result from improper input validation. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which involves the execution of malicious code through web shell or script injection methods. Organizations using this plugin were exposed to potential compromise through the persistence of malicious scripts within the administrative interface.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate action from affected users, including updating to a patched version of the plugin if available or implementing temporary workarounds. The most effective solution involved ensuring that all WordPress installations using this plugin were updated to versions that properly implemented CSRF protection mechanisms and input validation controls. Administrators should have also reviewed existing plugin configurations for any signs of malicious modifications and considered implementing additional security monitoring for unusual administrative activities. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of proper security testing and code review processes, particularly for plugins that handle administrative functions and user data modifications.