The WPGSI: Spreadsheet Integration plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification and loss of data due to missing capability checks and an insecure authentication mechanism on the wpgsi_callBackFuncAccept and wpgsi_callBackFuncUpdate REST API functions in all versions up to, and including, 3.8.3. Both REST endpoints use permission_callback => __return_true, allowing unauthenticated access. The plugins custom token-based validation relies on a Base64-encoded JSON object containing the user ID and email address, but is not cryptographically signed. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to forge tokens using publicly enumerable information (admin user ID and email) to create, modify, and delete arbitrary WordPress posts and pages, granted they know the administrators email address and an active integration ID with remote updates enabled.
Weakness
The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.
Potential Mitigations
- Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) [REF-229] to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries.
- Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
- For example, consider using authorization frameworks such as the JAAS Authorization Framework [REF-233] and the OWASP ESAPI Access Control feature [REF-45].
- For web applications, make sure that the access control mechanism is enforced correctly at the server side on every page. Users should not be able to access any unauthorized functionality or information by simply requesting direct access to that page.
- One way to do this is to ensure that all pages containing sensitive information are not cached, and that all such pages restrict access to requests that are accompanied by an active and authenticated session token associated with a user who has the required permissions to access that page.
Related Attack Patterns
References
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wpgsi/tags/3.8.3/admin/class-wpgsi-update.php#L116
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wpgsi/tags/3.8.3/admin/class-wpgsi-update.php#L636
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wpgsi/tags/3.8.3/admin/class-wpgsi-update.php#L94
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wpgsi/trunk/admin/class-wpgsi-update.php#L116
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wpgsi/trunk/admin/class-wpgsi-update.php#L636
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/wpgsi/trunk/admin/class-wpgsi-update.php#L94
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3461326/wpgsi/trunk/admin/class-wpgsi-update.php
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/7598b38b-26b1-4640-9bd7-60613a5f704d?source=cve