CVE-2024-3591 in Geo Controller Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/01/2024
The Geo Controller WordPress plugin before 8.6.5 unserializes user input via some of its AJAX actions and REST API routes, which could allow unauthenticated users to perform PHP Object Injection when a suitable gadget is present on the blog.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-3591 affects the Geo Controller WordPress plugin version 8.6.4 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk through improper input validation and sanitization practices. This flaw exists within the plugin's handling of user-supplied data through both AJAX actions and REST API routes, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit PHP object injection vulnerabilities. The issue stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and sanitize data received from external sources, allowing attackers to manipulate the serialization process and execute arbitrary code on affected systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the plugin's reliance on untrusted user input without adequate sanitization before processing. When the Geo Controller plugin handles AJAX requests or REST API calls, it deserializes user-provided data without sufficient validation mechanisms. This creates a dangerous condition where an attacker can craft malicious serialized objects containing PHP code that gets executed during the unserialization process. The vulnerability becomes particularly dangerous when combined with the presence of suitable gadget chains within the WordPress environment or its dependencies, enabling attackers to achieve remote code execution with potentially full system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress installations using the affected plugin version. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it allows unauthenticated users to exploit the flaw, meaning that any visitor to the website could potentially trigger the injection. The impact extends beyond simple data theft or modification to include complete system compromise, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to install backdoors, modify website content, steal sensitive information, or use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of the plugin while potentially exposing the entire WordPress installation to unauthorized access.
The security implications of CVE-2024-3591 align with CWE-502, which specifically addresses "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" as a critical weakness in software systems. This vulnerability also maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for phishing attacks that could lead to exploitation, T1059 for command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1078 for valid accounts and legitimate credentials exploitation. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Geo Controller plugin version 8.6.5 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization measures. Additional mitigations include implementing web application firewalls, restricting access to REST API endpoints, and monitoring for suspicious AJAX activity. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins and themes, as this vulnerability pattern represents a common attack vector in WordPress environments that requires continuous vigilance and proactive security measures.