CVE-2023-47531 in Droit Dark Mode Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/19/2023
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in DroitThemes Droit Dark Mode.This issue affects Droit Dark Mode: from n/a through 1.1.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2023
The Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-47531 resides within the Droit Dark Mode plugin for WordPress, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of user sessions and administrative functions. This vulnerability specifically impacts versions of the plugin ranging from the initial release through version 1.1.2, creating a persistent threat vector that attackers can exploit to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms, leaving web applications vulnerable to malicious requests that originate from external domains while maintaining the authenticated user's session context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of anti-CSRF tokens within critical administrative endpoints and form submissions within the Droit Dark Mode plugin. When users access the WordPress admin panel and interact with the dark mode functionality, the plugin fails to validate the origin of requests or verify the authenticity of user intent through cryptographic token validation. This absence directly violates established security principles outlined in CWE-352, which categorizes CSRF as a fundamental web application vulnerability where attackers can manipulate authenticated users into executing unwanted actions. The vulnerability operates by tricking authenticated users into submitting malicious requests through crafted web pages or email attachments, leveraging the user's existing session cookies to perform administrative tasks without their knowledge or consent.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-47531 extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass complete administrative compromise of affected WordPress installations. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can potentially modify plugin settings, disable dark mode functionality, or even execute arbitrary code if the plugin's architecture permits such operations. The threat landscape for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001, which describes credential harvesting through spearphishing with links, as attackers can craft malicious pages that automatically submit requests to the vulnerable plugin endpoints. Furthermore, the vulnerability can be leveraged for privilege escalation attacks where an authenticated user's session is hijacked to perform actions that would normally require administrator privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise and data exfiltration.
Organizations utilizing the Droit Dark Mode plugin must implement immediate remediation measures to address this vulnerability, beginning with the mandatory upgrade to the latest available version that contains proper CSRF protection mechanisms. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected plugin across their WordPress installations and monitor for suspicious administrative activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of additional defensive controls including Content Security Policy headers, proper session management, and web application firewalls can provide layered protection against CSRF attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management solutions to ensure timely updates of all WordPress plugins and themes, as this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining current security implementations. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated plugin to verify that all CSRF protections are properly functioning and that legitimate user functionality remains intact, following security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks.