CVE-2023-2549 in Feather Login Page
Summary
by MITRE • 05/31/2023
The Feather Login Page plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in versions starting from 1.0.7 up to, and including, 1.1.1. This is due to missing nonce validation in the 'createTempAccountLink' function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to create a new user with administrator role via a forged request granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link. An attacker can leverage CVE-2023-2545 to get the login link or request a password reset to the new user's email address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2023
The Feather Login Page plugin for WordPress presents a critical cross-site request forgery vulnerability that affects versions from 1.0.7 through 1.1.1, representing a significant security risk for WordPress installations. This vulnerability stems from the absence of proper nonce validation within the createTempAccountLink function, which is a fundamental security mechanism designed to prevent unauthorized requests from being executed on behalf of authenticated users. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate the plugin's functionality and create new user accounts with elevated privileges. The vulnerability operates under the CWE-352 category, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery conditions where the application fails to validate the authenticity of requests. This weakness directly enables attackers to perform unauthorized actions that should only be executable by legitimate administrators.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it creates a complete attack vector for unauthorized account creation with administrator-level permissions. When an attacker successfully exploits this CSRF flaw, they can generate new user accounts that automatically receive administrator roles, providing them with complete control over the WordPress installation. The vulnerability becomes even more dangerous when combined with other exploits such as CVE-2023-2545, which allows attackers to obtain login links or request password resets for newly created accounts. This combination creates a seamless attack chain where the attacker can not only create administrator accounts but also gain immediate access to them, effectively bypassing the need for additional authentication mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the plugin's request validation process, where the createTempAccountLink function does not verify the authenticity of incoming requests through proper nonce checks. This absence of validation creates a persistent security gap that remains exploitable across the affected version range, making it particularly concerning for administrators who may not be immediately aware of the vulnerability. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate administrative actions, exploiting the trust relationship between the web application and its users. The attack typically involves tricking a site administrator into clicking on a malicious link that triggers the account creation function without proper validation. This approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which describes legitimate credentials use through web application user sessions, and T1531, which involves establishing persistence through account creation or modification. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill but can result in complete system compromise, making it a particularly attractive target for threat actors seeking to gain unauthorized access to WordPress installations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that include proper nonce validation, as this addresses the root cause of the issue. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as monitoring for unusual account creation patterns and implementing proper access controls to limit the impact of potential exploitation. The fix should incorporate proper nonce validation in the createTempAccountLink function to ensure that all requests are authenticated and authorized before executing administrative actions. Security professionals should also consider implementing web application firewalls and additional monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins and themes that may present similar CSRF vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also include educating administrators about social engineering techniques that attackers might use to exploit this vulnerability, such as phishing campaigns that trick administrators into clicking malicious links. Organizations should establish incident response procedures that can quickly identify and remediate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on monitoring for unauthorized user account creation and suspicious administrative activities.