CVE-2023-45274 in Free Web Push Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in SendPulse SendPulse Free Web Push plugin <= 1.3.1 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2023
The CVE-2023-45274 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw discovered in the SendPulse Free Web Push plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability affects versions 1.3.1 and earlier, exposing WordPress installations to unauthorized administrative actions that can be executed without user consent. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the plugin's administrative interfaces.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate authenticated users into performing unintended actions on their WordPress sites. When a user visits a malicious website or clicks on a compromised link while authenticated to their WordPress admin panel, the attacker can trigger administrative functions such as modifying plugin settings, deleting content, or altering user permissions. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's form handling mechanisms where CSRF tokens are either absent or inadequately validated, making it possible for attackers to forge legitimate requests that appear to originate from authenticated administrators.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress site owners who rely on the SendPulse plugin for web push notifications. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized control over plugin configurations, potentially leading to service disruption, data exfiltration, or even complete site compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges or credentials from the attacker beyond the ability to convince a victim to visit a malicious page while logged into their admin panel. This makes it a prime target for phishing campaigns and social engineering attacks that leverage the trust relationship between users and their WordPress administration interfaces.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery conditions in software systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this represents a technique that falls under T1566.001 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, where attackers can leverage the CSRF vulnerability to execute malicious administrative actions on compromised systems. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to version 1.3.2 or later of the SendPulse Free Web Push plugin, as this release includes proper CSRF token validation and request origin checking. Additionally, administrators should implement additional security measures such as two-factor authentication, regular security audits, and monitoring for unauthorized administrative activities to minimize the risk of exploitation. Network-level protections including web application firewalls and strict access controls can also provide additional defense-in-depth layers against potential CSRF attacks targeting WordPress installations.