CVE-2024-37452 in Schema Lite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/02/2025
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in MyThemeShop Schema Lite allows Cross Site Request Forgery.This issue affects Schema Lite: from n/a through 1.2.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2025
The Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-37452 resides within the MyThemeShop Schema Lite plugin, representing a critical security flaw that enables attackers to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. This vulnerability specifically impacts versions of the Schema Lite plugin ranging from the initial release through version 1.2.2, creating a window of exposure for affected systems. The flaw manifests as a failure to implement proper anti-CSRF mechanisms, leaving the plugin susceptible to malicious exploitation through crafted requests that leverage the trust relationship between the user and the vulnerable application. According to CWE-352, this vulnerability directly maps to Cross-Site Request Forgery, a well-documented class of attacks that exploit the implicit trust a web application places in a user's browser. The vulnerability allows attackers to perform actions such as modifying settings, creating new users, or executing administrative functions without the victim's knowledge or consent, potentially leading to complete compromise of the affected WordPress installation.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of anti-CSRF tokens or similar protective measures within the plugin's request handling mechanisms. When legitimate users interact with the Schema Lite plugin's administrative interfaces, the application fails to validate that requests originate from the intended source rather than from malicious actors. This weakness creates an opportunity for attackers to craft malicious web pages or emails that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submit requests to the vulnerable plugin endpoints. The attack typically involves tricking users into clicking on malicious links or visiting compromised websites that contain embedded requests targeting the vulnerable plugin's functionality. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform unauthorized modifications to the website's schema data, potentially affecting how content is structured and displayed, or to manipulate the plugin's configuration settings in ways that could compromise the site's integrity. This vulnerability operates under the ATT&CK framework category of T1531, which encompasses techniques for Account Access Removal and privilege escalation through manipulation of application logic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data modification, as it can lead to significant compromise of the affected WordPress environment and potentially serve as a foothold for more extensive attacks. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability could gain unauthorized access to sensitive schema configurations, potentially affecting how structured data is processed and displayed across the website. This could result in data corruption, content manipulation, or even serve as a stepping stone for further attacks such as privilege escalation or data exfiltration. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning given that it affects a widely used plugin, meaning that numerous WordPress installations could be exposed to this risk simultaneously. The exploitation requires minimal technical skill from attackers, as it leverages the inherent trust relationships within web applications rather than requiring complex exploitation techniques. Organizations using this plugin version should immediately assess their exposure and implement mitigation strategies to prevent unauthorized access and potential compromise of their web applications.
The recommended mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate plugin updates to versions that address the CSRF implementation flaws, as well as implementing additional protective measures such as Content Security Policy headers and proper input validation. Administrators should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts and monitoring for unusual administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper session management and request validation in web applications, particularly those handling administrative functions or user data. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify other potential CSRF vulnerabilities within their plugin ecosystem, as this type of flaw often indicates broader security gaps in application design and implementation practices.