CVE-2021-42364 in Stetic Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/29/2021
The Stetic WordPress plugin is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery due to missing nonce validation via the stats_page function found in the ~/stetic.php file, which made it possible for attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts in versions up to, and including 1.0.6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-42364 affects the Stetic WordPress plugin, a tool designed for website analytics and statistics tracking. This particular weakness resides in the stats_page function within the main plugin file stetic.php, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of WordPress installations using this plugin. The vulnerability manifests as a cross-site request forgery vulnerability that allows unauthorized parties to manipulate the plugin's functionality without proper authorization, creating a significant risk for website administrators and their users.
The technical flaw stems from the absence of nonce validation within the stats_page function, which is a fundamental security mechanism in WordPress development. Nonces serve as one-time tokens that verify the authenticity of administrative actions and prevent unauthorized requests from being executed. In this case, the missing validation creates a pathway for attackers to craft malicious requests that can be executed by authenticated users, effectively bypassing the plugin's intended security controls. This vulnerability falls under CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The absence of proper input validation and authentication checks allows attackers to inject arbitrary web scripts, potentially leading to data manipulation, privilege escalation, or complete compromise of the affected WordPress installation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the WordPress ecosystem. Attackers can exploit this weakness to perform unauthorized administrative actions, modify plugin settings, or inject malicious code that persists across user sessions. The vulnerability affects all versions of the Stetic plugin up to and including version 1.0.6, meaning that a significant portion of users who have not updated to newer releases remain exposed to potential exploitation. This creates a substantial risk for website owners, as the attack surface expands to include any user with access to the affected plugin interface, potentially allowing threat actors to establish persistent access or exfiltrate sensitive data from the WordPress environment.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms. Attackers can leverage this CSRF flaw to gain elevated privileges within the WordPress administration area, potentially leading to full system compromise. The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate patching of the Stetic plugin to version 1.0.7 or later, which includes the necessary nonce validation controls. Additionally, administrators should implement network-level protections such as web application firewalls and monitor for suspicious administrative activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other installed plugins, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and authentication mechanisms in WordPress plugins. Organizations should also consider implementing least privilege principles and regular security updates as part of their overall cybersecurity posture to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in their environments.