CVE-2023-47790 in Pz-LinkCard Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/23/2023
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) leading to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Poporon Pz-LinkCard plugin <= 2.4.8 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2023
The CVE-2023-47790 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the Poporon Pz-LinkCard WordPress plugin affecting versions 2.4.8 and earlier. This vulnerability demonstrates a dangerous combination of cross-site request forgery and cross-site scripting weaknesses that can be exploited by malicious actors to compromise user sessions and execute arbitrary code within victim browsers. The issue stems from inadequate validation and sanitization of user input within the plugin's administrative interfaces, creating a pathway for attackers to manipulate legitimate user requests and inject malicious scripts.
The technical flaw manifests through the plugin's failure to implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms when processing administrative actions. When users with administrative privileges access certain plugin endpoints, the system does not verify the authenticity of requests through anti-forgery tokens or similar validation techniques. This allows attackers to craft malicious requests that appear legitimate to the server, as they can leverage the victim's authenticated session to perform unauthorized actions. The vulnerability becomes particularly dangerous when combined with existing XSS capabilities, as the CSRF attack can be used to inject malicious scripts that persist in the plugin's administrative interface or user-facing pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking. Attackers can leverage the combined CSRF-XSS vector to establish persistent backdoors within the WordPress installation, potentially gaining full administrative control over the affected site. The vulnerability affects not only the immediate plugin functionality but also poses risks to the broader WordPress ecosystem, as compromised administrative accounts can be used to install malicious plugins, modify content, or exfiltrate sensitive data. This represents a significant threat to website owners who rely on the Poporon Pz-LinkCard plugin for link management and social sharing features.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as aligning with CWE-352 for CSRF weakness and CWE-79 for XSS vulnerability, creating a compound security risk that requires immediate attention. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through session manipulation and code injection, with potential for lateral movement within compromised environments. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including plugin updates to version 2.4.9 or later, which contain proper CSRF token implementation and input sanitization measures. Additionally, administrators should review existing user permissions, implement additional authentication controls, and monitor for suspicious administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of regular security audits and maintaining updated security practices to prevent such compound attacks from compromising web applications.