CVE-2021-4353 in WooCommerce Dynamic Pricing and Discounts Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
The WooCommerce Dynamic Pricing and Discounts plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthenticated settings export in versions up to, and including, 2.4.1. This is due to missing authorization on the export() function which makes makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to export the plugin's settings.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-4353 affects the WooCommerce Dynamic Pricing and Discounts plugin, a widely used WordPress extension for managing e-commerce pricing strategies. This plugin enables merchants to implement dynamic pricing rules, discounts, and promotional pricing structures that automatically adjust product costs based on various criteria such as customer segments, quantities, or time periods. The flaw exists within the plugin's architecture where the export functionality lacks proper authentication checks, creating a critical security gap that exposes sensitive configuration data to unauthorized parties.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from a missing authorization check within the plugin's export() function, which operates under the CWE-284 access control weakness classification. This function, designed to allow authorized administrators to export plugin settings for backup or migration purposes, fails to verify the identity or privileges of users attempting to access it. The absence of authentication validation means that any attacker with knowledge of the plugin's endpoint can trigger the export mechanism without requiring valid credentials, user session, or administrative privileges. This represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating potential risks for e-commerce operations and business security. When unauthenticated attackers can export plugin settings, they gain access to sensitive pricing configurations, discount rules, customer segmentation criteria, and promotional strategies that may reveal business logic and competitive advantages. The exported data could include pricing tiers, bulk discount structures, seasonal pricing rules, and other proprietary business parameters that competitors might exploit for market advantage. Additionally, the exported settings may contain references to external integrations, API keys, or configuration parameters that could facilitate further attacks on the WordPress installation or connected systems.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for data from information repositories, where attackers can harvest sensitive configuration data through unauthenticated access to administrative functions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that WordPress plugins often contain extensive business logic and configuration data that, when exposed, can provide attackers with detailed insights into the target's operational structure. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader reconnaissance phase that could lead to more sophisticated attacks targeting the e-commerce platform's core functionality and customer data.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the authorization flaw, as well as network-level monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to plugin endpoints. Administrators should implement proper access controls and regularly audit plugin configurations to ensure no unauthorized modifications have occurred. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating all access points within web applications, particularly those that expose sensitive data or configuration parameters, and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of third-party components before deployment in production environments. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and access control mechanisms that can detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts to administrative functions and data export endpoints.