CVE-2024-6496 in Light Poll Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/01/2024
The Light Poll WordPress plugin through 1.0.0 does not have CSRF checks when deleting polls, which could allow attackers to make logged in users perform such action via a CSRF attack
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/10/2025
The Light Poll WordPress plugin version 1.0.0 contains a critical security vulnerability that stems from the absence of Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection mechanisms during poll deletion operations. This flaw exists within the plugin's administrative functionality, where the delete action lacks proper validation to ensure that requests originate from legitimate administrative users. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's ability to verify the authenticity of deletion requests, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit authenticated sessions and perform unauthorized actions on behalf of logged-in administrators.
This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-352, which defines Cross-Site Request Forgery as a weakness that occurs when a web application fails to validate that requests originate from legitimate users. The flaw enables attackers to craft malicious web pages or emails that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, automatically submit deletion requests to the vulnerable plugin. The absence of CSRF tokens or other validation mechanisms means that any user with administrative privileges who visits a malicious page could unknowingly trigger poll deletion operations, potentially leading to data loss and disruption of polling functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data deletion, as it represents a significant threat to the integrity and availability of polling data within WordPress installations. Attackers could exploit this weakness to remove critical polling information, manipulate survey results, or potentially disrupt the entire polling system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where administrators frequently visit external websites or email links, as the attack requires no special privileges beyond having an active administrative session. This makes it a particularly insidious threat that could be exploited through social engineering techniques or by compromising user sessions through other means.
The risk assessment for this vulnerability is elevated due to the widespread use of WordPress plugins and the common practice of granting administrative privileges to users who may not be fully aware of the security implications. Organizations using the Light Poll plugin are particularly vulnerable if they do not implement additional security measures such as network segmentation or web application firewalls to mitigate the impact of such attacks. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and request authentication in web applications, as the absence of CSRF protection represents a fundamental security oversight in the plugin's design.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate implementation of CSRF tokens for all administrative actions within the plugin, proper session validation mechanisms, and regular security audits of WordPress plugins. Administrators should also consider implementing additional security layers such as two-factor authentication, regular security updates, and monitoring of administrative activities. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of following security best practices in web application development, particularly regarding authentication and authorization mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools to identify similar issues in other plugins and components of their WordPress installations. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1190 technique for exploitation of web applications, emphasizing the need for proper input validation and authentication controls to prevent such attacks from succeeding in enterprise environments.