CVE-2024-37511 in Swift Performance Lite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/02/2025
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in SWTE Swift Performance Lite allows Cross Site Request Forgery.This issue affects Swift Performance Lite: from n/a through 2.3.6.20.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2025
The Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-37511 resides within the SWTE Swift Performance Lite plugin, a widely used WordPress optimization tool designed to enhance website performance through various caching and optimization features. This particular vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of user sessions and administrative operations within affected WordPress installations. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions of the Swift Performance Lite plugin ranging from the initial release through version 2.3.6.20, creating a substantial attack surface for malicious actors seeking to exploit the plugin's functionality.
The technical flaw manifests as a failure to implement proper CSRF protection mechanisms within the plugin's administrative interfaces and API endpoints. This absence allows attackers to craft malicious requests that can be executed without the user's knowledge or consent, leveraging the authenticated session of a logged-in administrator or user. The vulnerability operates by exploiting the trust relationship between the web application and the user's browser, where legitimate requests are processed without adequate validation of the request source or authenticity. Attackers can manipulate the plugin's administrative functions to perform unauthorized actions such as modifying settings, deleting content, or altering performance configurations that could significantly impact website functionality and security posture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it can lead to complete administrative compromise of affected WordPress sites. An attacker who successfully exploits this CSRF vulnerability could potentially gain full control over the Swift Performance Lite plugin configuration, which might include disabling caching features, modifying optimization settings, or even introducing malicious code through the plugin's interface. The implications are particularly severe given that Swift Performance Lite is designed to optimize website performance, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt services or establish persistent access points. The vulnerability also affects the broader WordPress ecosystem, as compromised plugin functionality can lead to cascading security issues throughout the website infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should focus on implementing robust anti-CSRF token mechanisms throughout the plugin's administrative interfaces and API endpoints. The recommended approach involves generating unique, unpredictable tokens for each user session and validating these tokens on every state-changing request to ensure that the request originates from the legitimate user interface rather than from malicious third-party sites. Security patches should be immediately applied to update the Swift Performance Lite plugin to versions that include proper CSRF protection mechanisms, with organizations monitoring their plugin ecosystems for similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers, enforcing proper session management, and conducting regular security audits of WordPress plugins can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the future. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery weaknesses, and represents a typical attack vector categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1566.002 for credential access through web application attacks.