CVE-2023-49777 in WooCommerce Product Add-Ons Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/31/2023
Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in YITH YITH WooCommerce Product Add-Ons.This issue affects YITH WooCommerce Product Add-Ons: from n/a through 4.3.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/22/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2023-49777 represents a critical deserialization of untrusted data flaw within the YITH WooCommerce Product Add-Ons plugin, specifically impacting versions ranging from the initial release through 4.3.0. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of insecure deserialization as classified by CWE-502, where applications improperly handle serialized data from untrusted sources. The flaw occurs when the plugin processes serialized data without proper validation or sanitization, creating an attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code on affected systems. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows remote code execution through crafted serialized data that gets processed during normal plugin operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and sanitize serialized data received from user inputs or external sources. When the YITH WooCommerce Product Add-Ons plugin processes serialized objects, it does not implement adequate security measures to ensure that the data originates from trusted sources or that the serialized content is safe for execution. This weakness enables attackers to craft malicious serialized payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable plugin, can trigger unintended behavior including code execution, data manipulation, or system compromise. The vulnerability is classified as a remote code execution threat under the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically mapping to technique T1059.007 for command and script injection.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-49777 extends beyond simple data corruption or unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the capability to execute arbitrary commands on the affected WordPress installation. This vulnerability can be exploited by attackers who gain access to the plugin's serialization endpoints or who can manipulate data flows that pass through the plugin's deserialization mechanisms. The consequences include potential full system compromise, data exfiltration, website defacement, and the establishment of persistent backdoors. Organizations running affected versions of the YITH WooCommerce Product Add-Ons plugin face significant risk of unauthorized access to their e-commerce platforms, potentially leading to financial losses, customer data breaches, and reputational damage. The vulnerability affects not only the core functionality of the plugin but also the broader WordPress ecosystem that relies on secure plugin architecture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-49777 require immediate action from affected organizations to update to the patched version of the YITH WooCommerce Product Add-Ons plugin, as version 4.3.1 or later should contain the necessary security fixes. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect suspicious deserialization activities and consider implementing web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious serialized data. The security community recommends that all WordPress installations using this plugin should be updated immediately, and organizations should conduct thorough security audits of their plugin ecosystem to identify similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing proper input validation, output encoding, and secure coding practices can help prevent similar issues in future development cycles, aligning with industry standards such as the OWASP Top Ten and the CERT/CC secure coding guidelines. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security assessments to maintain robust defenses against deserialization attacks.