CVE-2023-51474 in TerraClassifieds Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/16/2024
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Pixelemu TerraClassifieds.This issue affects TerraClassifieds: from n/a through 2.0.3.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/16/2024
The Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-51474 represents a critical security flaw within the Pixelemu TerraClassifieds platform that enables malicious actors to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. This vulnerability specifically impacts versions of TerraClassifieds ranging from the initial release through version 2.0.3, creating a persistent threat vector that extends across multiple iterations of the software. The flaw resides in the application's insufficient validation of cross-origin requests, allowing attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the user's browser and the targeted web application.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF tokens or mechanisms within the application's request processing pipeline. When users navigate to malicious websites or click on compromised links, the attacker can craft requests that automatically execute within the context of the authenticated user session. This occurs because the application fails to verify that requests originate from legitimate sources within the same origin domain, thereby bypassing the security controls designed to prevent unauthorized modifications. The vulnerability manifests through the lack of unique, unpredictable tokens that would normally be required to validate the authenticity of user-initiated actions, making it particularly susceptible to exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation to encompass potential account takeovers, unauthorized transactions, and complete compromise of user data integrity. Attackers can leverage this flaw to perform critical operations such as changing user passwords, modifying account settings, deleting listings, or executing financial transactions within the classifieds platform. The severity is amplified by the fact that the vulnerability affects multiple versions of the software, suggesting that organizations running any iteration within the specified range remain at risk. This creates a significant exposure window that could be exploited by threat actors without requiring specialized knowledge or advanced techniques, as the attack vector is relatively straightforward to implement.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including the deployment of anti-CSRF tokens for all state-changing requests, ensuring that these tokens are generated with sufficient entropy and properly validated on the server-side. The implementation should follow established security frameworks such as those recommended by the Open Web Application Security Project and align with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to restrict cross-origin requests and ensure that all user sessions maintain proper session management controls. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to verify that CSRF protections are effectively implemented and that legitimate user functionality remains intact. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar weaknesses in related applications and ensure that the fix properly addresses the root cause rather than merely patching symptoms, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's approach to web application vulnerabilities.