CVE-2022-2133 in OAuth Single Sign On Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/17/2022
The OAuth Single Sign On WordPress plugin before 6.22.6 doesn't validate that OAuth access token requests are legitimate, which allows attackers to log onto the site with the only knowledge of a user's email address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2133 affects the OAuth Single Sign On WordPress plugin version 6.22.5 and earlier, representing a critical authentication flaw that undermines the security of WordPress sites relying on OAuth integration. This weakness stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the plugin's OAuth access token handling process, creating a significant pathway for unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication flow where the plugin fails to properly verify the legitimacy of OAuth access token requests, allowing malicious actors to exploit this gap in validation.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to implement proper request validation checks that would normally verify the authenticity of OAuth token requests. This absence of validation creates an authentication bypass opportunity where attackers can leverage a user's email address to gain unauthorized access to WordPress administrative accounts. The vulnerability operates at the authentication layer, specifically targeting the OAuth integration mechanism that should serve as a secure bridge between external identity providers and WordPress user accounts. Without proper token validation, the system accepts potentially malicious requests that could originate from compromised third-party applications or unauthorized attackers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to potentially escalate privileges and gain full administrative control over affected WordPress installations. This authentication bypass allows threat actors to operate with elevated privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and the ability to modify or delete critical website content. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires minimal information for exploitation - only a valid user email address - making it accessible to attackers who may have obtained this information through various means such as data breaches, social engineering, or reconnaissance activities. The attack surface is further expanded due to the widespread adoption of OAuth plugins in WordPress environments, increasing the potential number of vulnerable targets.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to version 6.22.6 or later of the OAuth Single Sign On plugin to remediate the authentication validation gap. Security teams should also implement additional monitoring for suspicious authentication attempts and consider implementing multi-factor authentication as a compensating control. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1110 for credential access through unauthorized access attempts. Additional mitigations include reviewing and restricting OAuth application permissions, implementing network-level restrictions on authentication endpoints, and conducting thorough security audits of all third-party plugins that handle user authentication flows. The incident highlights the critical importance of proper input validation and authentication flow security in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive user credentials and access tokens.