CVE-2022-36345 in Metagauss Download Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/28/2023
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Metagauss Download Plugin <= 2.0.4 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2023
The CVE-2022-36345 vulnerability represents a critical Cross-Site Request Forgery flaw discovered in the Metagauss Download Plugin version 2.0.4 and earlier. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications. The flaw exists within the plugin's handling of user requests and authentication mechanisms, creating a scenario where malicious actors can exploit the absence of proper validation controls to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to implement anti-CSRF tokens or other sufficient protection mechanisms in its form submissions and API endpoints. When users access the plugin's functionality, particularly those involving file downloads or administrative operations, the system does not validate that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same session. This omission allows attackers to craft malicious web pages or email attachments that, when visited by authenticated users, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable plugin without user consent or awareness.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or manipulation, as it enables attackers to perform administrative actions that could compromise entire websites. An attacker could potentially leverage this vulnerability to download unauthorized files, modify plugin settings, or even gain access to sensitive user data through the plugin's file handling mechanisms. The severity is amplified by the fact that the vulnerability affects versions up to 2.0.4, indicating a prolonged period during which users remained exposed to this risk without proper protection.
Organizations using the Metagauss Download Plugin must immediately implement mitigations including the mandatory deployment of anti-CSRF tokens across all user-facing forms and API endpoints within the plugin. The recommended approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which addresses the exploitation of web application vulnerabilities through CSRF attacks. Security measures should include implementing proper request validation, session management controls, and ensuring that all state-changing operations require explicit user confirmation. Additionally, users should upgrade to the latest plugin version where this vulnerability has been patched, as the update addresses the core authentication flow issues that allowed the CSRF exploitation to occur.