CVE-2023-5975 in ImageMapper Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2023
The ImageMapper plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in versions up to, and including, 1.2.6. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on multiple functions. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update the plugin settings via a forged request, granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2026
The ImageMapper plugin for WordPress represents a significant security vulnerability classified as CVE-2023-5975, affecting versions up to and including 1.2.6. This vulnerability manifests as a cross-site request forgery weakness that fundamentally undermines the plugin's security posture and exposes WordPress sites to potential compromise. The flaw specifically resides in the plugin's failure to implement proper nonce validation mechanisms across multiple critical functions, creating a dangerous attack vector that can be exploited by unauthenticated adversaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper cryptographic nonce verification within the plugin's administrative functions. Nonces serve as critical security tokens that ensure requests originate from legitimate administrative sessions and prevent unauthorized modifications to plugin settings. Without these validation checks, attackers can craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated administrators, exploiting the trust relationship between the WordPress admin interface and the ImageMapper plugin. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities as those lacking proper validation of request origins and authenticity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, as it allows attackers to manipulate core plugin settings that may affect how images are mapped and displayed on websites. When an administrator inadvertently clicks on a malicious link or visits a compromised webpage, the forged request can execute without proper authentication, potentially leading to unauthorized modifications of mapping configurations, altered image display behaviors, or even potential data manipulation within the plugin's functionality. This creates a persistent threat vector that can remain active as long as the vulnerable plugin remains installed and active on the WordPress site.
From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability represents a low-hanging fruit that requires minimal technical expertise to exploit effectively. The attack chain typically involves crafting a malicious webpage or email containing a link that, when clicked by an administrator, automatically submits a forged request to the vulnerable ImageMapper plugin. This approach leverages social engineering techniques and relies on the administrator's trust in their browsing environment, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where administrators frequently navigate to various web resources. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1566, which encompasses social engineering attacks that manipulate administrators into executing malicious actions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-5975 must prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that properly implement nonce validation mechanisms. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including network-based protections such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious requests targeting known vulnerable endpoints. Regular security audits should verify that all WordPress plugins maintain proper authentication and authorization controls, with particular attention to administrative functions that modify core system configurations. Organizations should also consider implementing security awareness training to reduce the risk of administrators falling victim to social engineering attacks that exploit this vulnerability. The fundamental requirement for all WordPress plugin developers is to ensure proper nonce validation is implemented across all administrative functions, as this represents a basic security control that prevents exactly this class of vulnerability from occurring in the first place.