CVE-2024-3073 in Easy WP SMTP Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2024
The Easy WP SMTP by SendLayer – WordPress SMTP and Email Log Plugin plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to information exposure in all versions up to, and including, 2.3.0. This is due to plugin providing the SMTP password in the SMTP Password field when viewing the settings. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrative-level access and above, to view the SMTP password for the supplied server. Although this would not be useful for attackers in most cases, if an administrator account becomes compromised this could be useful information to an attacker in a limited environment.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3073 affects the Easy WP SMTP by SendLayer WordPress plugin, specifically impacting versions up to and including 2.3.0. This represents a critical information exposure flaw that directly compromises the security of email server configurations within WordPress environments. The vulnerability stems from the plugin's improper handling of sensitive authentication data during the settings viewing process, creating an avenue for unauthorized information disclosure that could significantly impact organizational security postures.
The technical flaw manifests through the plugin's failure to properly sanitize or obscure sensitive SMTP credentials when displaying plugin settings to authenticated administrators. When administrators access the plugin's configuration interface, the system inadvertently reveals the SMTP password field containing the actual password value rather than masking it with asterisks or other obfuscation techniques. This design flaw directly violates security best practices for credential handling and represents a CWE-200 vulnerability category related to information exposure. The issue specifically affects the plugin's user interface rendering logic where authentication credentials are displayed without proper security considerations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it creates a significant risk vector for attackers who have already gained administrative access to WordPress installations. While the vulnerability requires administrative-level privileges to exploit, it becomes particularly dangerous in environments where administrators are compromised through other attack vectors such as credential stuffing, social engineering, or exploitation of other vulnerabilities. The exposure of SMTP passwords enables attackers to potentially relay emails through the compromised WordPress installation, conduct spam operations, or establish persistent communication channels. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.002 for credential access through phishing and T1078.004 for valid accounts through compromised credentials, as it provides attackers with additional authentication material.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to the latest plugin version where this vulnerability has been addressed, implementing strict access controls for WordPress administrative accounts, and conducting comprehensive security audits of all installed plugins. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing network-level monitoring to detect unusual email relay patterns and establish regular credential rotation procedures. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and output sanitization in web applications, particularly when handling sensitive data in user interfaces. Security teams should also review their incident response procedures to ensure rapid detection and remediation of similar credential exposure vulnerabilities across their WordPress environments.