CVE-2024-6549 in Admin Post Navigation Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/27/2024
The Admin Post Navigation plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Full Path Disclosure in all versions up to, and including, 2.1. This is due to the plugin utilizing bootstrap and leaving test files with display_errors on. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to retrieve the full path of the web application, which can be used to aid other attacks. The information displayed is not useful on its own, and requires another vulnerability to be present for damage to an affected website.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2024
The CVE-2024-6549 vulnerability affects the Admin Post Navigation plugin for WordPress, representing a significant security weakness that exposes the full file system path of affected installations. This vulnerability exists in all versions up to and including 2.1, making it a widespread concern for WordPress administrators who have not yet updated their installations. The flaw stems from the plugin's implementation of bootstrap functionality alongside the presence of test files that maintain display_errors enabled, creating an avenue for information disclosure that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the improper configuration of PHP error handling within the plugin's test files. When display_errors is enabled in a production environment, PHP will output detailed error messages including file paths and line numbers to the browser. The Admin Post Navigation plugin leaves these test files in place with error display enabled, creating a persistent exposure that allows attackers to obtain the complete server path structure of the WordPress installation. This path disclosure occurs because the bootstrap process loads these test files during normal operation, causing PHP to render error information that includes the absolute file paths.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a dangerous reconnaissance opportunity for attackers who can use the disclosed paths to better understand the target system's structure and potentially identify other weaknesses. While the path information alone does not directly compromise the system, it significantly aids in planning more sophisticated attacks by providing attackers with knowledge of the server's directory structure and file locations. The vulnerability's impact is amplified when combined with other exploits, as the disclosed paths can help attackers craft more targeted attacks against specific files or directories within the WordPress installation. This makes CVE-2024-6549 particularly dangerous in environments where multiple vulnerabilities may exist simultaneously.
Security professionals should recognize this vulnerability as a variant of CWE-209, which specifically addresses information exposure through error messages, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1212 by enabling reconnaissance activities that can lead to more serious compromises. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security hygiene in plugin development practices, particularly the failure to properly configure error handling in production environments. Organizations should immediately update to the latest version of the Admin Post Navigation plugin, which should contain fixes for this issue, and implement comprehensive security monitoring to detect any exploitation attempts. Additionally, administrators should conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations to identify and remove any other test files or configurations that may expose sensitive information, as this vulnerability represents a broader class of issues related to improper error handling and configuration management that affects many web applications.