CVE-2023-41804 in Starter Templates Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/07/2023
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in Brainstorm Force Starter Templates — Elementor, WordPress & Beaver Builder Templates.This issue affects Starter Templates — Elementor, WordPress & Beaver Builder Templates: from n/a through 3.2.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-41804 represents a critical server-side request forgery flaw within the Brainstorm Force Starter Templates plugin for WordPress and Beaver Builder. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-918, which specifically addresses server-side request forgery conditions where attackers can manipulate the target of a request to access internal resources that should otherwise be protected. The affected plugin version range extends from an unspecified beginning through version 3.2.4, indicating that all versions within this scope are potentially exploitable.
The technical flaw manifests when the plugin fails to properly validate and sanitize user input that is used to construct HTTP requests to external resources. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that bypass normal access controls and potentially gain unauthorized access to internal network services, databases, or other sensitive resources that the web server can reach. The vulnerability occurs in the plugin's handling of template import functionality where external URLs are processed without adequate validation mechanisms.
From an operational standpoint, this SSRF vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress installations using the affected plugin. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially access internal systems, perform reconnaissance on the internal network, or even escalate privileges to gain administrative access to the WordPress installation. The impact extends beyond the immediate plugin scope as it could enable attackers to leverage the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through the web interface without requiring authentication, making it accessible to anyone who can submit requests to the vulnerable plugin.
Security professionals should prioritize immediate mitigation of this vulnerability by updating to version 3.2.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the SSRF flaw. Organizations should also implement network-level restrictions to prevent outbound requests to internal services and consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious request patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, with potential subsequent techniques including T1071.1003 - Application Layer Protocol: DNS and T1083 - File and Directory Discovery. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and using allowlists for external URL access can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities in the future.