CVE-2023-0890 in Shortcodes Ultimate Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/20/2023
The WordPress Shortcodes Plugin — Shortcodes Ultimate WordPress plugin before 5.12.8 does not ensure that posts to be displayed via some shortcodes are already public and can be accessed by the user making the request, allowing any authenticated users such as subscriber to view draft, private or even password protected posts. It is also possible to leak the password of protected posts
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0890 affects the Shortcodes Ultimate WordPress plugin version 5.12.8 and earlier, presenting a critical access control flaw that undermines the security model of WordPress content management systems. This issue stems from insufficient validation within the plugin's shortcode processing mechanisms, which fail to properly verify user permissions before rendering content. The flaw allows authenticated users with minimal privileges such as subscribers to bypass normal WordPress access restrictions and gain visibility into draft, private, or password-protected posts that should remain inaccessible to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability exists because the plugin does not adequately enforce WordPress's built-in post visibility and access control systems when processing shortcode requests, creating a pathway for privilege escalation through content exposure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the plugin's shortcode handlers that process user requests for displaying specific posts or content. When users with subscriber-level permissions make requests through shortcodes that reference protected content, the plugin fails to perform proper capability checks or post status validations before rendering the content. This lack of proper access control validation means that the plugin relies on the user's ability to guess or obtain direct links to protected content rather than enforcing WordPress's standard permission model. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin processes shortcodes such as those used for displaying recent posts, specific post content, or custom post collections without verifying that the requesting user has adequate permissions to view the referenced content. According to CWE-285, this represents an improper authorization issue where the system fails to properly verify that the user has the necessary privileges to access the requested resource.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-0890 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it potentially exposes sensitive data that could include confidential business information, personal details, or strategic content that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only. The ability to access draft posts creates risks for organizations relying on WordPress for content management, as it allows unauthorized users to view content that may not yet be ready for public consumption. Furthermore, the leakage of password protection mechanisms represents an additional security concern where the plugin may inadvertently expose or reveal password information, potentially enabling attackers to gain access to protected content through social engineering or brute force attacks. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege by allowing users to access content beyond their assigned permissions, creating potential data breach scenarios that could affect compliance with privacy regulations and data protection standards.
Organizations using the affected Shortcodes Ultimate plugin should immediately implement multiple mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves updating to version 5.12.8 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly validate user permissions before rendering protected content. Additionally, administrators should review and tighten user role assignments to minimize the risk of unauthorized access, while implementing additional monitoring to detect unusual access patterns or content requests. Security measures should include verifying that all users with access to shortcode functionality have appropriate permissions and that content rendering processes properly enforce WordPress's built-in access control systems. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation, as it allows lower-privileged users to access content that should require higher-level permissions. Organizations should also consider implementing network-level controls or additional authentication layers to provide defense-in-depth protection against potential exploitation of this access control flaw.