CVE-2023-34020 - URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect') Vulnerability in Uncanny Owl Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash (N/A – 3.6.4.3)

Greetings to all readers! Today, we will delve deep into the CVE-2023-34020 vulnerability that affects the popular Uncanny Owl Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash plugin. We'll provide a brief overview of what this vulnerability is, discuss its implications, and detail the affected versions. Additionally, we'll provide a code snippet to showcase the problem, provide links to the original references, and guide you through the process of exploiting the vulnerability.

1. Overview of the Vulnerability

In simple terms, the CVE-2023-34020 vulnerability refers to a URL redirection issue that could potentially redirect users to untrusted websites without their knowledge or consent. This specific vulnerability affects the Uncanny Owl Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash WordPress plugin, which is a widely-used e-learning platform that offers various tools for managing courses, quizzes, and certificates, among other features.

Having an 'Open Redirect' vulnerability means that an attacker could maliciously exploit the vulnerability to redirect a user to a different and potentially harmful website, specifically crafted to deceive or phish information. The outcome could vary from stealing the user's login credentials to installing malware on their device.

2. Affected Versions

The CVE-2023-34020 vulnerability affects Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash plugin versions from N/A through 3.6.4.3. If you are using these versions or earlier, your website could potentially be at risk.

Here's a simple code snippet demonstrating the issue

if (isset($_GET['redirect_to'])) {
    $url = $_GET['redirect_to'];
} else {
    $url = home_url();
}

wp_redirect($url, 302);
exit();

In the code above, the $_GET['redirect_to'] parameter can be manipulated to redirect a user to any site of the attacker's choice. A fixation of this vulnerability would be to include validation checks on the 'redirect_to' parameter to ensure it directs only to a trusted domain.

4. Exploit Details

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious URL that includes the vulnerable website's domain and the target URL. Here's an example:

https://vulnerable-website.com/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmalicious-site.com

This URL would use the 'redirect_to' parameter to force a redirection from the vulnerable website to the malicious website, successfully exploiting the CVE-2023-34020 vulnerability.

5. Official References & Further Reading

- CVE Entry: CVE-2023-34020
- Source of Vulnerability: Uncanny Owl
- Affected Plugin: Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash

In conclusion, CVE-2023-34020 is a serious vulnerability that poses a significant threat to every individual using the Uncanny Toolkit for LearnDash plugin within the affected versions. As a security best practice, ensure your plugin is up-to-date, and take the necessary precautions to avoid becoming a victim of this vulnerability. Additionally, if you use the plugin in your e-learning platform (or are considering implementing it), pay close attention to its security updates and possible vulnerabilities to better protect your website and user data.

Timeline

Published on: 03/27/2024 14:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 03/27/2024 15:49:41 UTC