CVE-2023-0484 in Contact Form 7 Widget for Elementor Page Builder & Gutenberg Blocks Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2023
The Contact Form 7 Widget For Elementor Page Builder & Gutenberg Blocks WordPress plugin before 1.1.6 does not have CSRF check when activating plugins, which could allow attackers to make logged in admins activate arbitrary plugins present on the blog via a CSRF attack
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0484 affects the Contact Form 7 Widget For Elementor Page Builder & Gutenberg Blocks WordPress plugin version 1.1.5 and earlier. This issue represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of WordPress administrative operations by failing to implement proper cross-site request forgery protection mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically manifests during the plugin activation process where the system does not validate the authenticity of requests originating from the administrator's browser session.
The technical flaw stems from the absence of anti-CSRF tokens or similar validation mechanisms within the plugin's activation endpoint. When an administrator navigates to the plugin activation interface, the system should verify that the request originates from a legitimate administrative session and not from a malicious third-party website. Without this validation, attackers can craft malicious web pages that automatically submit activation requests to the vulnerable WordPress installation, exploiting the administrator's logged-in session to perform unauthorized plugin activation actions.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a security weakness that occurs when a web application does not properly validate the source of requests. The impact of this flaw extends beyond simple plugin activation, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for further exploitation. Once an attacker successfully activates an arbitrary plugin, they can potentially install malicious code, modify existing functionality, or create backdoors within the WordPress environment. The attack vector requires minimal user interaction as the administrator must simply visit a malicious page while logged into the WordPress admin interface.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress installations that rely on the Elementor Page Builder and Gutenberg Blocks plugin ecosystem. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it targets administrators who typically have elevated privileges and access to critical system functions. The exploitation process is relatively straightforward, requiring only the creation of a malicious HTML page that submits requests to the vulnerable plugin activation endpoint. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently browse untrusted websites or where social engineering attacks are common.
The implications of this vulnerability align with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and persistence. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish a persistent presence within the WordPress environment by activating malicious plugins that maintain access even after the initial compromise. The lack of proper CSRF protection creates a pathway for attackers to expand their control over the affected system without requiring additional authentication credentials or complex exploitation techniques.
Organizations should immediately update to version 1.1.6 or later of the Contact Form 7 Widget For Elementor Page Builder & Gutenberg Blocks plugin to remediate this vulnerability. In the interim, administrators should implement additional security measures such as monitoring plugin activation events, reviewing user activity logs for suspicious patterns, and ensuring that only trusted users have administrative privileges. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and strict access controls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of implementing proper input validation and request authentication mechanisms in all web applications, particularly those that handle administrative functions.