CVE-2023-0502 in WP News Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2023
The WP News WordPress plugin through 1.1.9 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
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/15/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0502 affects the WP News WordPress plugin version 1.1.9 and earlier, presenting a significant security risk through the absence of Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection mechanisms during plugin activation processes. This flaw exists within the plugin's administrative interface where users with sufficient privileges can inadvertently trigger arbitrary plugin activations without proper validation of the request origin. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper CSRF tokens or validation checks when processing plugin activation requests, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit authenticated sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the plugin's lack of anti-CSRF measures in its activation endpoint, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that appear legitimate to the WordPress administrative interface. When an administrator visits a compromised page or clicks on a malicious link, the attacker can trigger plugin activation commands without the administrator's knowledge or explicit consent. This occurs because the plugin's activation mechanism does not verify the authenticity of the request source, relying solely on the administrative session's validity rather than additional cryptographic proof of authorization.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a serious risk to WordPress site integrity and security posture. An attacker who successfully executes a CSRF attack could activate malicious plugins, potentially leading to further exploitation opportunities including code execution, data exfiltration, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the administrator's existing authenticated session, making it difficult to detect and trace back to the original attack vector. The impact extends beyond simple plugin activation as malicious plugins could introduce backdoors, modify site content, or establish persistent access points within the compromised environment.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. This classification emphasizes the fundamental flaw in the plugin's authentication and authorization mechanisms, where the system fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate sources within the application context. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) as attackers could leverage this weakness to establish persistent access through malicious plugin installations. The vulnerability also connects to T1078.004 (Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts) when considering that compromised administrator sessions could lead to broader system access.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms, as the vulnerability exists in plugin versions through 1.1.9. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, monitoring for unauthorized plugin installations, and implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious activation requests. The WordPress security team recommends that all users upgrade to the latest plugin version immediately and that administrators review their site's plugin installations for any unauthorized or suspicious activity. Additional protective measures include implementing Content Security Policy headers, using two-factor authentication for administrative accounts, and regularly reviewing user permissions to minimize the impact of potential session hijacking attacks.