CVE-2023-49758 in WP Booking System Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/09/2024
Missing Authorization vulnerability in Veribo, Roland Murg WP Booking System allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects WP Booking System: from n/a through 2.0.19.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-49758 represents a critical missing authorization flaw within the Veribo Roland Murg WP Booking System plugin, specifically impacting versions ranging from an unspecified beginning version through 2.0.19.2. This security weakness stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels that allow unauthorized users to exploit the system's booking functionalities without proper authentication or authorization. The issue resides in the plugin's handling of user permissions and access control mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate booking data and potentially disrupt the entire reservation system.
The technical flaw manifests as a failure in the plugin's authorization checks, where the system does not properly verify user credentials or roles before granting access to booking-related functions. This misconfiguration allows any visitor or unauthenticated user to perform actions that should be restricted to registered users or administrators, including viewing, modifying, or deleting booking records. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software applications, and falls under the broader category of access control failures that compromise system integrity. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive booking information, potentially leading to data breaches, financial losses, or service disruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of websites utilizing the affected plugin. Organizations relying on the WP Booking System for managing reservations, appointments, or bookings face significant risks including exposure of customer data, manipulation of booking records, and potential denial of service attacks. The vulnerability affects not only the booking functionality itself but also compromises the overall trustworthiness of the website's reservation system. According to ATT&CK framework, this issue corresponds to T1078 - Valid Accounts and T1566 - Phishing, as attackers can leverage the misconfigured access controls to establish unauthorized access and potentially use the compromised system for further malicious activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-49758 require immediate action from affected organizations to address the root cause of the authorization failure. The most effective approach involves applying the latest available security patches or updates from the plugin developers, which should contain proper access control implementations and authorization checks. System administrators should also conduct comprehensive security audits of their WordPress installations to identify similar misconfigurations in other plugins or themes that might present analogous vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing network-level restrictions, such as firewall rules and access control lists, can provide additional layers of protection while waiting for official patches. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and maintain regular backups to ensure rapid recovery in case of successful exploitation. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper access control implementation and regular security assessments in preventing unauthorized system access and maintaining the integrity of booking and reservation systems.