CVE-2023-2869 in WP-Members Membership Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2023
The WP-Members Membership plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized plugin settings update due to a missing capability check on the do_field_reorder function in versions up to, and including, 3.4.7.3. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with subscriber-level access to reorder form elements on login forms.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/28/2024
The WP-Members Membership plugin for WordPress presents a critical authorization vulnerability that allows authenticated attackers with minimal privileges to manipulate core plugin functionality. This vulnerability exists within the do_field_reorder function where proper capability checks are absent, creating a path for privilege escalation through unauthorized settings modification. The flaw affects all versions up to and including 3.4.7.3, making it a widespread concern for WordPress installations that rely on this membership management solution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access control validation within the plugin's administrative functions. When an attacker with subscriber-level privileges invokes the do_field_reorder function, the system fails to verify whether the user possesses adequate permissions to modify plugin settings. This missing capability check represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and allows unauthorized users to reorder form elements on login forms, potentially disrupting the intended user experience and creating opportunities for further exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple form reordering, as it enables attackers to manipulate the structure and presentation of login forms in ways that could aid social engineering attacks or confuse legitimate users. By reordering form fields, attackers can potentially obscure important security warnings or redirect user attention away from critical authentication elements. This modification capability could also serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, as it demonstrates the system's inability to properly validate user permissions for administrative functions.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique where an attacker leverages a missing access control mechanism to gain unauthorized capabilities within a system. Organizations using vulnerable versions of the WP-Members plugin face significant risk as this flaw can be exploited by any authenticated user, including those who should only have subscriber privileges.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the WP-Members plugin to the latest version where the capability check has been implemented. System administrators should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual administrative activity patterns and consider restricting user roles to the minimum necessary permissions. Additionally, regular security audits of WordPress plugins should include verification of access control mechanisms, and organizations should maintain up-to-date vulnerability scanning procedures to identify similar authorization flaws across their web applications.