CVE-2023-7198 in WP Dashboard Notes Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/27/2024
The WP Dashboard Notes WordPress plugin before 1.0.11 is vulnerable to Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) in post_id= parameter. Authenticated users are able to delete private notes associated with different user accounts. This poses a significant security risk as it violates the principle of least privilege and compromises the integrity and privacy of user data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2025
The WP Dashboard Notes WordPress plugin version 1.0.10 and earlier contains a critical insecure direct object reference vulnerability that allows authenticated users to access and manipulate private data belonging to other users. This vulnerability specifically affects the post_id parameter within the plugin's functionality, creating an authorization bypass that undermines the fundamental security principles of user isolation and data protection. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms that fail to properly verify whether the authenticated user has legitimate authorization to perform operations on the requested resource.
This vulnerability operates under the CWE-284 access control weakness category, specifically manifesting as an insecure direct object reference where the application directly references objects using user-supplied input without proper authorization checks. The flaw enables an attacker to manipulate the post_id parameter to target private notes owned by different users, effectively allowing arbitrary deletion of sensitive data. The technical implementation fails to enforce proper user context validation, meaning that any authenticated user can potentially access the delete functionality for notes associated with other accounts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data loss, as it represents a serious breach of user privacy and data integrity. An attacker with access to the plugin's administrative interface can exploit this weakness to delete private notes, potentially causing information disclosure or data corruption across multiple user accounts. This compromise violates the principle of least privilege by allowing users to perform actions outside their designated permissions, creating a pathway for unauthorized data manipulation that could be exploited for further attacks or information gathering. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality and integrity aspects of the CIA triad, as it enables unauthorized access to private data and potential data destruction.
The security implications of this IDOR vulnerability align with techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and credential access domains. Attackers can leverage this weakness to move laterally within the WordPress environment, potentially accessing sensitive information or disrupting user data management. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to version 1.0.11 or later, which includes proper access control checks for the post_id parameter. Additional protective measures include implementing proper input validation, enforcing user context verification, and establishing robust authorization controls that ensure users can only access resources they are explicitly authorized to modify. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in web applications and serves as a reminder of the potential consequences when authentication is confused with authorization.