CVE-2024-3555 in Social Link Pages Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/04/2024
The Social Link Pages: link-in-bio landing pages for your social media profiles plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized access due to a missing capability check on the import_link_pages() function in all versions up to, and including, 1.6.9. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary pages and malicious web scripts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3555 affects the Social Link Pages plugin for WordPress, specifically targeting versions up to and including 1.6.9. This issue represents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security posture of WordPress installations relying on this plugin. The vulnerability stems from a missing capability check within the import_link_pages() function, which is designed to handle page import operations. This omission creates a pathway for unauthorized actors to exploit the plugin's functionality without proper authentication or authorization.
The technical flaw manifests as a lack of proper access control validation within the plugin's codebase. When the import_link_pages() function processes requests, it fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary permissions to perform import operations. This missing capability check allows any unauthenticated user to submit requests that would normally require administrative privileges. The vulnerability falls under CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control issues in software systems. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject arbitrary pages into the WordPress installation, potentially including malicious web scripts that could compromise the entire site.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, creating significant risks for WordPress administrators and end-users. Unauthenticated attackers can inject malicious content that may include cross-site scripting payloads, malicious redirects, or other harmful web scripts. These injected pages could be used to steal user credentials, deface the website, or serve as entry points for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the site's content structure, potentially affecting SEO rankings, user trust, and overall site integrity. This type of attack aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which involves exploitation of remote services through injection attacks that can lead to persistent access and data compromise.
Organizations using affected plugin versions face immediate security risks that require urgent remediation. The vulnerability creates an attack surface that can be exploited without requiring any prior authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous for high-traffic or publicly accessible WordPress sites. Security teams should implement immediate monitoring for suspicious import activities and consider network-based detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to the latest plugin version where the capability check has been properly implemented. Additionally, administrators should review existing site content for any unauthorized modifications and consider implementing additional security layers such as web application firewalls to prevent exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security audits to identify other potential vulnerabilities in their WordPress ecosystem and ensure proper access control mechanisms are in place across all plugin and theme components.