CVE-2023-4823 in WP Meta and Date Remover Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/31/2023
The WP Meta and Date Remover WordPress plugin before 2.2.0 provides an AJAX endpoint for configuring the plugin settings. This endpoint has no capability checks and does not sanitize the user input, which is then later output unescaped. Allowing any authenticated users, such as subscriber change them and perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2023
The vulnerability identified in CVE-2023-4823 affects the WP Meta and Date Remover WordPress plugin version 2.1.9 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of WordPress installations. This issue stems from the plugin's AJAX endpoint implementation, which lacks proper access control mechanisms and input sanitization procedures. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's configuration interface where authenticated users can manipulate settings without appropriate authorization checks, creating a pathway for malicious activities.
The technical flaw manifests through the absence of capability checks on the AJAX endpoint designed for plugin configuration. This endpoint accepts user input without proper sanitization processes, allowing malicious data to be stored within the plugin's settings. When the plugin later outputs this data, it does so without appropriate escaping mechanisms, creating a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability. The flaw directly maps to CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, and CWE-284, which covers improper access control issues. Attackers can exploit this weakness by authenticating as low-privilege users such as subscribers, who should not have the ability to modify plugin configurations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of authenticated users' browsers. This stored XSS vulnerability allows threat actors to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability affects all authenticated users regardless of their role permissions, making it particularly dangerous in environments where subscribers or contributors might have access to the WordPress admin interface. This weakness can be exploited to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the WordPress environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-4823 require immediate action to upgrade the WP Meta and Date Remover plugin to version 2.2.0 or later, which includes the necessary security patches. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as restricting user permissions and monitoring plugin configuration changes. The remediation process should include thorough code review of the AJAX endpoint implementation to ensure proper capability checks are enforced and input sanitization is applied before any data is stored. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious API calls to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which covers command and scripting interpreter, as attackers can leverage the stored XSS to execute malicious scripts in users' browsers. Organizations must also conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other WordPress plugins and ensure proper input validation and access control mechanisms are in place across all web applications.