CVE-2023-35781 in LWS Cleaner Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/11/2023
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in LWS Cleaner plugin <= 2.3.0 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2026
Cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities represent a critical class of web application security flaws that allow attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The LWS Cleaner plugin version 2.3.0 and earlier contains a CSRF vulnerability that exposes WordPress installations to potential exploitation by malicious actors seeking to manipulate administrative functions without proper authorization. This vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's handling of requests that modify or interact with website settings, user data, or content management functions.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to implement proper anti-CSRF measures such as CSRF tokens or origin validation mechanisms. When administrators access certain plugin endpoints for configuration changes or administrative tasks, the application does not verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same session. This absence of request validation allows attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, potentially enabling unauthorized modifications to website configurations or execution of privileged operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass potential complete system compromise. Attackers could leverage CSRF attacks to modify plugin settings, alter user permissions, inject malicious code into website content, or even delete critical files through the compromised administrative interface. The vulnerability particularly affects WordPress environments where administrators regularly interact with the LWS Cleaner plugin interface, making it a prime target for exploitation in targeted attacks against content management systems.
Security standards such as CWE-352 categorize CSRF vulnerabilities under the broader category of insecure web application design flaws that enable unauthorized actions through forged requests. The ATT&CK framework identifies this as a technique within the privilege escalation and persistence phases where adversaries seek to manipulate legitimate user sessions or administrative functions. Organizations should prioritize patching this vulnerability immediately, as exploitation can occur without requiring any special privileges beyond basic website access. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing proper CSRF token validation mechanisms, ensuring that all state-changing requests include unique tokens tied to specific user sessions, and verifying the origin of all incoming requests through strict referer header checks or custom validation methods.
Effective remediation requires updating the LWS Cleaner plugin to version 2.3.1 or later, which includes proper anti-CSRF protection measures. Additionally, administrators should conduct comprehensive security audits of all installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other third-party components. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious patterns in request origins and unusual administrative activities that could indicate CSRF attack attempts. Regular security training for system administrators regarding the identification and prevention of web application attacks remains essential for maintaining overall security posture against such sophisticated threats.