CVE-2024-5677 in Featured Image Generator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2024
The Featured Image Generator plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized image upload due to a missing capability check on the fig_save_after_generate_image function in all versions up to, and including, 1.3.1. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with Subscriber-level access and above, to upload arbitrary images to a post-related gallery.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2024
The Featured Image Generator plugin for WordPress presents a critical security vulnerability that undermines the platform's content management integrity. This flaw exists within the fig_save_after_generate_image function where proper capability checks are absent, creating an unauthorized access vector that compromises the plugin's security model. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 1.3.1, making it a widespread concern for WordPress installations that rely on this plugin for featured image generation. The missing validation mechanism allows malicious actors with minimal privileges to exploit this weakness and manipulate content in ways that should be restricted to authorized users only.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access control implementation within the plugin's core functionality. When the fig_save_after_generate_image function processes image uploads, it fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses the appropriate permissions to perform such actions. This represents a classic violation of the principle of least privilege, where the system grants more capabilities than necessary to users based on their role. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication and authorization mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized modifications to post-related galleries, creating a pathway for attackers to bypass normal content management restrictions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables authenticated attackers with Subscriber-level access or higher to upload arbitrary images to post-related galleries, which can have significant implications for content integrity and security posture. The impact extends beyond simple image manipulation as it allows for potential payload delivery through malicious image files, creating opportunities for further exploitation. Attackers can leverage this capability to inject harmful content, manipulate visual presentation of posts, or potentially establish persistence mechanisms within the content management system. The vulnerability essentially undermines the trust model that WordPress relies upon to maintain secure content management operations.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in software systems. This weakness creates a direct pathway for privilege escalation and unauthorized data manipulation, potentially enabling attackers to compromise the broader content ecosystem. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers legitimate credentials and the use of valid accounts to perform unauthorized actions. Organizations using this plugin must consider the broader attack surface implications and the potential for this vulnerability to serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks. The missing capability check represents a fundamental flaw in the plugin's access control implementation that requires immediate remediation to maintain system integrity.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate plugin updates to versions that address this capability check deficiency, while also implementing additional monitoring for unauthorized image upload activities. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of this plugin across their WordPress installations and ensure proper access controls are maintained. Network-level monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous image upload patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar authorization flaws that could compromise system security. The recommended approach includes applying the latest plugin updates, implementing role-based access controls, and maintaining continuous monitoring of content management activities to prevent unauthorized modifications.