CVE-2023-22709 in Atif N SRS Simple Hits Counter Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/22/2023
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Atif N SRS Simple Hits Counter plugin <= 1.1.0 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2023
The CVE-2023-22709 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the Atif N SRS Simple Hits Counter WordPress plugin, affecting versions up to and including 1.1.0. This vulnerability exposes WordPress sites to unauthorized administrative actions that can be executed without user consent, creating significant security risks for website operators who rely on this plugin for traffic analytics and hit counting functionality.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and authenticate requests originating from external sources. Specifically, the plugin does not implement proper anti-CSRF tokens or referer validation mechanisms when processing administrative actions such as hit counter modifications, configuration changes, or data management operations. This absence of request verification allows attackers to craft malicious web pages or emails that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable plugin endpoints. The flaw operates at the application layer and exploits the trust relationship between the web browser and the WordPress administration interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple traffic counting functionality, as it provides attackers with potential access to administrative controls within the WordPress environment. An attacker could leverage this CSRF vulnerability to modify hit counter configurations, potentially disrupting legitimate traffic data, or to execute other administrative functions that the plugin supports. The vulnerability particularly affects WordPress sites that have not implemented additional security measures such as two-factor authentication or role-based access controls, making it a significant threat to website integrity and data confidentiality. The attack vector is typically delivered through social engineering techniques where administrators are tricked into visiting malicious websites or clicking on compromised links.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate plugin updates to versions that address the CSRF implementation flaws, as well as implementation of additional defensive measures. WordPress administrators should ensure all plugins are kept current with security patches, particularly those handling administrative functions. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers, proper CSRF token validation, and referer checking mechanisms can provide additional layers of protection. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery conditions, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts, as it enables unauthorized administrative actions through compromised sessions. The security community should treat this as a high-priority remediation task, particularly for sites with multiple administrators or those handling sensitive data through the affected plugin.