CVE-2022-0875 in Google Authenticator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/27/2022
The Google Authenticator WordPress plugin before 1.0.5 does not have CSRF check when saving its settings, and does not sanitise as well as escape them, allowing attackers to make a logged in admin change them and perform Cross-Site Scripting attacks
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-0875 affects the Google Authenticator WordPress plugin version 1.0.4 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that combines multiple dangerous conditions within a single attack vector. This vulnerability exists due to insufficient input validation and inadequate protection mechanisms within the plugin's administrative settings interface, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through a combination of cross-site request forgery and cross-site scripting attacks.
The core technical flaw stems from the absence of proper Cross-Site Request Forgery protection mechanisms when processing administrative settings modifications. The plugin fails to implement anti-CSRF tokens or similar validation methods that would normally verify the authenticity of requests originating from legitimate administrative sessions. Additionally, the vulnerability manifests in inadequate sanitization and output escaping of user-supplied data within the plugin's settings handling code. This dual failure creates a scenario where authenticated administrators can be tricked into executing malicious requests without their knowledge, while simultaneously allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist within the plugin's configuration parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it enables attackers to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions and potentially compromise entire WordPress installations. When an authenticated administrator visits a malicious website or clicks on a compromised link, the attacker can manipulate the Google Authenticator plugin settings through forged requests. The lack of sanitization and escaping allows malicious payloads to be stored within the plugin configuration, which then get executed whenever the settings page is accessed or when the plugin functions are invoked. This creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for various malicious activities including credential theft, unauthorized configuration changes, and potential privilege escalation within the WordPress environment.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery, and CWE-79, which covers Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to techniques involving privilege escalation through web application vulnerabilities and code injection attacks. The attack surface is particularly dangerous because it leverages the trust relationship between the WordPress administrator and the plugin, making it difficult for administrators to detect malicious activity. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including social engineering campaigns targeting administrators, compromised websites that host malicious links, or through direct exploitation of the plugin's settings interface. The persistence of the XSS payload means that even after the initial attack, the malicious code continues to execute whenever the affected plugin is accessed, creating a long-term threat to the compromised system.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate plugin updates to version 1.0.5 or later, which address both the CSRF protection gaps and the sanitization issues. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular monitoring of plugin configurations, implementing web application firewalls to detect suspicious requests, and conducting thorough security audits of all installed plugins. The use of security headers, proper input validation at multiple layers, and regular security scanning of WordPress installations can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future. Organizations should also consider implementing role-based access controls and limiting administrative privileges to reduce the potential impact of such attacks.