CVE-2023-48768 in Button for WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/19/2023
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in CodeAstrology Team Quantity Plus Minus Button for WooCommerce by CodeAstrology.This issue affects Quantity Plus Minus Button for WooCommerce by CodeAstrology: from n/a through 1.1.9.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/24/2023
The Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-48768 resides within the Quantity Plus Minus Button for WooCommerce plugin developed by CodeAstrology. This security flaw represents a critical weakness in the plugin's request validation mechanisms that could enable attackers to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions ranging from the initial release through version 1.1.9, indicating a prolonged period during which the plugin was susceptible to this type of attack vector. The issue stems from insufficient validation of the origin and authenticity of HTTP requests, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to exploit the plugin's functionality without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability manifests through the plugin's handling of quantity modification requests within the WooCommerce shopping cart system. When users interact with the quantity plus or minus buttons, the plugin processes these requests through specific endpoints that lack proper anti-CSRF token validation. Attackers can craft malicious web pages or exploit existing vulnerabilities in other parts of the website to submit forged requests that appear legitimate to the WooCommerce system. These forged requests can manipulate product quantities in users' shopping carts, potentially leading to unauthorized transactions or data manipulation within the e-commerce environment. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the user session management and request processing components of the WooCommerce platform.
The operational impact of this CSRF vulnerability extends beyond simple quantity manipulation, potentially compromising the integrity of the entire WooCommerce shopping cart system. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to modify cart contents, alter order quantities, or even trigger unauthorized purchases by manipulating the quantity parameters of products. The vulnerability affects the fundamental trust model between the user's browser and the web application, undermining the expected security boundaries that protect authenticated users from unauthorized actions. This risk is particularly significant in e-commerce environments where financial transactions occur, as the manipulation of cart quantities could lead to revenue loss, inventory discrepancies, or customer confusion. The vulnerability also represents a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks that could exploit the compromised session to access other sensitive functionalities within the WooCommerce ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the affected plugin versions to the latest secure releases that implement proper anti-CSRF token validation. Organizations should ensure that all instances of the Quantity Plus Minus Button for WooCommerce plugin are updated to versions that address this specific vulnerability, as the plugin's continued operation in vulnerable states poses ongoing security risks. Implementing additional security measures such as Content Security Policy headers, proper session management, and request origin validation can provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in web applications, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and proper input validation. Security teams should also consider monitoring for suspicious cart modification activities that could indicate exploitation attempts, while ensuring that all web application components follow secure coding practices and proper request verification mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future.