CVE-2023-45110 in Bold Timeline Lite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/02/2025
Missing Authorization vulnerability in BoldThemes Bold Timeline Lite allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects Bold Timeline Lite: from n/a through 1.1.9.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2025
The CVE-2023-45110 vulnerability represents a critical missing authorization flaw within the Bold Timeline Lite WordPress plugin, which operates under the broader category of insecure direct object references and improper access control mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from incorrect configuration of security levels that govern access to sensitive administrative functions and data within the plugin's architecture. The affected version range spans from an unspecified starting point through version 1.1.9, indicating that any installation within this scope remains susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors seeking unauthorized access to the plugin's administrative capabilities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests as a failure in the plugin's access control validation mechanisms, where the system does not properly verify user permissions before granting access to administrative interfaces or sensitive data operations. This misconfiguration allows unauthorized users to bypass standard authentication checks and potentially gain access to functionality that should only be available to administrators or authorized personnel. The vulnerability specifically impacts the plugin's ability to enforce proper authorization boundaries, creating a pathway for privilege escalation attacks where unauthenticated or low-privilege users can access administrative features and potentially modify or extract sensitive information.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress installations using the affected Bold Timeline Lite plugin, as it directly undermines the security model of the content management system. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can manipulate timeline data, potentially altering historical records or accessing private information that should remain protected. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure to include potential modification of plugin configurations, which could lead to service disruption or further compromise of the WordPress installation. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software systems, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that governs secure software design practices.
The exploitation of this vulnerability typically follows patterns consistent with the attack technique described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1078, which covers legitimate credentials use and privilege escalation. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more comprehensive attacks, where initial unauthorized access to the timeline plugin could lead to broader system compromise. Organizations running affected versions of the Bold Timeline Lite plugin should prioritize immediate remediation through plugin updates or manual security hardening measures that enforce proper access control validation. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing robust authorization controls within web applications and highlights the need for regular security assessments of third-party plugins to prevent unauthorized access to administrative functions and sensitive data within WordPress environments.