CVE-2023-50904 in Poll Maker Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/09/2024
Missing Authorization vulnerability in Poll Maker Team Poll Maker allows Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels.This issue affects Poll Maker: from n/a through 4.8.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2025
The CVE-2023-50904 vulnerability represents a critical missing authorization flaw within the Poll Maker plugin, specifically impacting versions ranging from an unspecified starting point through version 4.8.0. This security weakness stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels that allow unauthorized users to exploit functionality they should not have access to. The vulnerability exists within the Poll Maker Team Poll Maker application, which is commonly used for creating and managing online polls and surveys across various web platforms. The flaw manifests when the application fails to properly verify user permissions before granting access to sensitive administrative functions or poll management features. This misconfiguration creates a pathway for attackers to bypass intended security controls and execute unauthorized actions within the system. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems, where access control mechanisms fail to properly validate user privileges. From an operational perspective, this missing authorization vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on the Poll Maker plugin for their polling infrastructure. Attackers could potentially manipulate poll results, delete existing polls, modify poll configurations, or access sensitive data belonging to other users. The impact extends beyond simple data manipulation as it undermines the integrity and confidentiality of the entire polling system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely used plugin that may be integrated into various content management systems, making it a prime target for exploitation. Security analysts should note that this issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through unauthorized access to systems. The affected versions suggest that this weakness has persisted across multiple releases, indicating a fundamental flaw in the access control implementation rather than a temporary coding error. Organizations using the Poll Maker plugin must urgently assess their current deployment to determine if they are running vulnerable versions and implement immediate mitigations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user roles and permissions within the plugin's access control framework. When users attempt to access restricted features, the system should verify their authorization level against predefined security policies before granting access. However, in the affected versions, this verification process fails to properly distinguish between different user types, allowing lower-privileged users to access administrative functions. This misconfiguration typically occurs when the application relies on insufficient or improperly implemented access control checks that do not adequately validate user credentials or roles. The flaw may manifest in various ways including missing input validation, improper session management, or flawed role-based access control implementations. Attackers can exploit this by crafting specific requests that bypass the normal authorization flow, often through manipulation of request parameters or by directly accessing endpoints that should be restricted. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions suggests that the underlying architectural approach to access control was fundamentally flawed rather than being a simple coding oversight. From a defensive standpoint, this issue requires immediate attention as it represents a critical weakness in the security architecture of the affected systems. Organizations should implement comprehensive access control audits and ensure that all user interactions with the plugin are properly authenticated and authorized. The vulnerability's classification as missing authorization aligns with security frameworks that emphasize the importance of principle of least privilege and proper access control enforcement.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-50904 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected plugin to the latest secure version where the authorization controls have been properly implemented. System administrators should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the Poll Maker plugin across their infrastructure and verify that proper access controls are enforced. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to ensure that access control mechanisms function correctly and that unauthorized users cannot access restricted features. Organizations should implement additional monitoring measures to detect suspicious activities related to poll management functions, particularly unauthorized modifications or access attempts. Security teams should review and strengthen their access control policies to ensure that proper user authentication and authorization procedures are in place for all plugin functionalities. The implementation of proper logging and auditing mechanisms becomes crucial to track access attempts and identify potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and firewall rules can provide additional layers of protection by restricting direct access to plugin endpoints. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting the specific authorization bypass mechanisms. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to verify that access control measures remain effective. The vulnerability underscores the importance of adhering to security best practices such as implementing proper input validation, maintaining secure session management, and ensuring that all user interactions are properly authenticated and authorized. Organizations must also establish robust update procedures to ensure that security patches are deployed promptly across all affected systems. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of access control in preventing unauthorized system access and maintaining the integrity of web applications. The remediation process should also include user education to ensure that administrators understand the importance of proper access control configurations and the potential consequences of misconfigured security settings.