CVE-2023-1029 in WP Meta SEO Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/24/2023
The WP Meta SEO plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in versions up to, and including, 4.5.3. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on the regenerateSitemaps function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to regenerate Sitemaps via a forged request granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2026
The WP Meta SEO plugin for WordPress represents a widely used tool for search engine optimization that has been identified with a critical cross-site request forgery vulnerability in versions up to and including 4.5.3. This vulnerability specifically affects the regenerateSitemaps function which lacks proper nonce validation mechanisms. The issue stems from the plugin's failure to implement adequate security controls that would normally prevent unauthorized requests from being processed. According to CWE-352, this represents a classic cross-site request forgery vulnerability where an attacker can manipulate a victim into executing unwanted actions within the context of their authenticated session. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects an administrative function that can significantly impact a website's search engine indexing and overall online presence.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's insufficient validation of nonce tokens when processing the regenerateSitemaps functionality. Nonce validation is a critical security mechanism that ensures requests originate from legitimate sources within the WordPress ecosystem. Without proper nonce verification, an attacker can craft malicious requests that appear to come from the legitimate WordPress admin interface. This allows unauthenticated attackers to trigger sitemap regeneration operations that can potentially be leveraged for various malicious purposes including spamming search engines with malformed sitemaps or disrupting normal website operations. The vulnerability operates under the ATT&CK framework category of privilege escalation through web application vulnerabilities, specifically targeting the web application attack surface where administrative functions are exposed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple sitemap regeneration as it provides attackers with a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks. When an administrator clicks on a malicious link or visits a compromised website, the forged request can silently execute sitemap regeneration without their knowledge. This creates a scenario where attackers can manipulate search engine indexing behavior, potentially leading to website ranking manipulation or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently browse untrusted websites or are targeted through social engineering campaigns. From a security perspective, this represents a significant risk to website owners who rely on proper SEO functionality, as the ability to manipulate sitemap generation can be used to disrupt legitimate website operations or gain insights into website structure and content.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must focus on immediate remediation through plugin updates to versions that properly implement nonce validation. WordPress administrators should ensure all plugins are regularly updated and maintain current versions that address known security issues. The implementation of additional security layers such as web application firewalls and monitoring for unusual sitemap regeneration patterns can provide additional protection. Organizations should also implement security awareness training for administrators to recognize potential social engineering attempts that could exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering methods, particularly those involving phishing or malicious links that can be used to exploit CSRF vulnerabilities. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar issues in other WordPress plugins and ensure comprehensive protection against cross-site request forgery attacks.