CVE-2024-2964 in Pocket News Generator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/29/2024
The Pocket News Generator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in all versions up to, and including, 0.2.0. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on the option_page() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to update the plugin's 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 • 04/14/2026
The Pocket News Generator plugin for WordPress presents a critical cross-site request forgery vulnerability that affects all versions through 0.2.0, creating a significant security risk for WordPress installations. This vulnerability stems from inadequate validation mechanisms within the plugin's option_page() function, which fails to properly verify the authenticity of incoming requests. The absence of proper nonce validation creates an exploitable condition that allows unauthenticated attackers to manipulate the plugin's configuration settings without requiring administrative credentials or authorization. This flaw represents a fundamental breakdown in the plugin's security architecture and demonstrates poor implementation of web application security principles.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it firmly within the scope of CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses in software applications. The vulnerability operates by exploiting the trust relationship between the web application and its users, where an attacker crafts a malicious request that appears legitimate to the WordPress system. When an administrator inadvertently interacts with the forged request through actions such as clicking on a malicious link, the attacker can execute unauthorized modifications to the plugin's configuration parameters. This type of attack leverages the principle of implicit trust that exists when a user performs actions on a legitimate website, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where administrators frequently interact with external links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple configuration changes, potentially allowing attackers to compromise the entire plugin functionality and affect the broader WordPress site security posture. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could modify news generation parameters, potentially redirecting content feeds to malicious sources or altering the plugin's behavior to serve harmful content. The unauthenticated nature of the attack means that no prior access or credentials are required, making it particularly attractive to threat actors. This vulnerability also creates potential downstream effects including data integrity issues, content manipulation, and possible information disclosure through altered plugin configurations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate remediation through plugin updates to versions that properly implement nonce validation and CSRF protection mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive security monitoring to detect unauthorized configuration changes and establish administrative procedures that minimize the risk of accidental interaction with malicious links. The implementation of additional security layers such as web application firewalls and security headers can provide defense-in-depth protection. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to technique T1548.001 for privilege escalation and T1190 for exploitation through malicious links, emphasizing the need for layered security approaches that address both the immediate vulnerability and broader attack surface considerations. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins and themes that may present similar CSRF weaknesses.