CVE-2022-1595 in HC Custom WP-Admin URL Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2022
The HC Custom WP-Admin URL WordPress plugin through 1.4 leaks the secret login URL when sending a specific crafted request
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2022
The HC Custom WP-Admin URL WordPress plugin version 1.4 contains a critical information disclosure vulnerability that exposes the secret login URL through improperly handled requests. This flaw allows attackers to bypass standard authentication mechanisms by exploiting a specific crafted request pattern that reveals the custom admin URL. The vulnerability exists in the plugin's handling of administrative requests where it fails to properly validate or sanitize input parameters before responding with sensitive information. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure as defined by CWE-200, where sensitive data is exposed to unauthorized parties without proper access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate request validation within the plugin's core functionality. When a malicious actor sends a crafted HTTP request to the WordPress installation, the plugin responds with the secret admin URL in the HTTP response headers or body without verifying the requester's authorization level. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper access control enforcement. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor mechanism that allows any external party to discover the non-standard WordPress admin endpoint, effectively reducing the security surface area of the WordPress installation. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing with Pretexting) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) as attackers can use the disclosed URL to target specific authentication endpoints.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for WordPress administrators who rely on custom admin URLs for security hardening. Once the secret login URL is discovered, attackers can directly target the administrative interface with brute force attacks, credential stuffing, or exploit attempts against known vulnerabilities in the WordPress core or other plugins. The leak of the secret URL undermines the security-by-obscurity approach that many administrators use to protect their installations, making them more susceptible to automated attacks. This vulnerability also increases the risk of successful privilege escalation attacks since the attacker now knows the exact endpoint to target for administrative access. The disclosure creates a persistent security risk that remains active until the plugin is updated or the vulnerable endpoint is manually secured through additional configuration measures.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate plugin updates to version 1.5 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper request validation and input sanitization. Administrators should implement additional security layers including web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns, rate limiting to prevent brute force attempts against the disclosed endpoint, and multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts. The WordPress core security team recommends that all users immediately update to the latest plugin version and conduct security audits of their installations. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level controls that restrict access to administrative endpoints and monitor for unusual patterns of requests to known WordPress admin paths. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing and validation of plugin components before deployment, as well as maintaining up-to-date security practices in accordance with NIST SP 800-53 security controls for information systems.