CVE-2023-50372 in Custom Post Type Page Template Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/18/2023
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Hiroaki Miyashita Custom Post Type Page Template.This issue affects Custom Post Type Page Template: from n/a through 1.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2024
The CVE-2023-50372 vulnerability represents a critical Cross-Site Request Forgery flaw within the Custom Post Type Page Template plugin developed by Hiroaki Miyashita. This vulnerability exists in versions ranging from the initial release through version 1.1, making it a persistent threat across multiple iterations of the plugin. The issue stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations that utilize this specific plugin. The vulnerability allows malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users who visit compromised web pages, potentially leading to data manipulation, privilege escalation, or complete system compromise.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's inability to validate the authenticity of HTTP requests originating from the legitimate user interface. This weakness enables attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, bypassing the standard WordPress security checks designed to prevent unauthorized modifications. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's handling of form submissions and administrative actions, where proper nonce validation is absent or insufficient. According to CWE-352, this represents a classic Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerability where the application fails to verify that requests originate from the legitimate user, creating an attack surface that can be exploited through various vectors including social engineering, phishing campaigns, or compromised user sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption, potentially enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code, modify plugin settings, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. WordPress administrators using this plugin are particularly at risk as the vulnerability can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges beyond basic user access. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that many WordPress installations may have multiple plugins with similar vulnerabilities, creating cascading security risks. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.002 which involves using legitimate credentials to gain access to systems, as the CSRF attack can effectively hijack authenticated user sessions to perform malicious actions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-50372 must include immediate plugin updates to versions that address the CSRF vulnerability, as well as the implementation of additional security measures. Administrators should verify that all users are running the latest version of the plugin and that proper nonce validation has been implemented throughout the plugin's functionality. The WordPress security community recommends implementing additional protections such as Content Security Policy headers, regular security audits, and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block CSRF attack patterns, while maintaining comprehensive backup strategies to quickly restore systems in case of successful exploitation. Given the nature of the vulnerability, it is essential to conduct thorough security assessments of all plugins and themes to identify similar CSRF weaknesses that may exist within the broader WordPress ecosystem.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of implementing proper input validation and request authentication mechanisms in web applications, particularly those that handle administrative functions or user data modifications. Security professionals should emphasize the need for comprehensive security testing including CSRF vulnerability assessments during the development lifecycle. The incident highlights the necessity of maintaining updated software versions and implementing robust security monitoring systems to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts. Organizations must recognize that vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-50372 can serve as entry points for more sophisticated attacks, making immediate remediation and ongoing security monitoring essential for protecting WordPress installations against comprehensive threat actors.