CVE-2024-5285 in wp-affiliate-platform Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/29/2024
The wp-affiliate-platform WordPress plugin before 6.5.2 does not have CSRF check in place when deleting affiliates, which could allow attackers to make a logged in user change delete them via a CSRF attack
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/16/2025
The wp-affiliate-platform WordPress plugin versions prior to 6.5.2 contain a critical security vulnerability that stems from the absence of Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection mechanisms during affiliate deletion operations. This flaw represents a significant weakness in the plugin's security architecture and exposes WordPress sites to potential exploitation by malicious actors. The vulnerability specifically affects the administrative functionality of the plugin where affiliates can be removed from the system, creating an avenue for unauthorized modifications to user data without proper authentication verification.
This security gap manifests as a failure to implement proper CSRF token validation within the plugin's deletion endpoints. When administrators or authorized users navigate to the affiliate management interface and attempt to delete affiliate records, the plugin does not verify that the request originates from a legitimate source within the same session. The absence of CSRF protection means that an attacker can craft malicious web pages or email content that, when visited by an authenticated user, automatically submits deletion requests to the vulnerable plugin. This type of attack leverages the user's existing authentication context to perform unauthorized actions on their behalf, effectively bypassing the normal access control mechanisms that should protect such sensitive operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data loss or modification concerns. Attackers can exploit this weakness to remove legitimate affiliates from the system, potentially disrupting affiliate marketing programs and causing financial losses for businesses that rely on these partnerships. The vulnerability can also be used as a stepping stone for further attacks, as it demonstrates the presence of other potential security gaps within the plugin's codebase. From a security perspective, this issue aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and proper input validation. The attack vector typically involves social engineering techniques where users are tricked into visiting malicious websites or clicking on compromised links that contain embedded CSRF attack payloads.
Organizations using affected versions of the wp-affiliate-platform plugin should immediately implement mitigation strategies to protect their systems. The most effective immediate solution involves updating to version 6.5.2 or later, which includes proper CSRF protection mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should review their WordPress security configurations and consider implementing additional protective measures such as Content Security Policy headers, enhanced session management, and regular security audits of installed plugins. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper security testing practices during plugin development, particularly around authentication and authorization mechanisms, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems that can detect and prevent unauthorized deletion attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins or custom code that may present similar CSRF attack vectors. The incident underscores the critical need for maintaining up-to-date software versions and following security best practices to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities in web applications.