CVE-2023-3947 - Exploit Unveiled: Unmasking Sensitive Information and Passwords in Video Conferencing with Zoom Plugin for WordPress

Over the past year, the global pandemic has dramatically increased the demand for digital communication platforms. Zoom has emerged as one of the market leaders, with millions of people using the platform daily for work, study, and interpersonal communication. As a response to this demand, developers created plugins to integrate Zoom into websites, one of which being the Video Conferencing with Zoom plugin for WordPress sites.

However, just like with any new technology comes cybersecurity concerns. A recent vulnerability discovered in the Video Conferencing with Zoom plugin for WordPress has proved particularly concerning. The vulnerability, officially known as CVE-2023-3947, involves sensitive information exposure due to a hardcoded encryption key. In this post, we will cover the details of the vulnerability, how it can be exploited, and steps to protect your WordPress site from potential attacks.

Exploit Details

The vulnerability is present in the 'vczapi_encrypt_decrypt' function offered by the expansion. This function handles the encryption and decryption of meeting IDs and passwords that are stored and used by the plugin. The issue lies in the fact that the encryption key has been hardcoded into the function, meaning that anyone with access to this code can decrypt and expose the sensitive information with ease.

Affected Versions

All versions up to and including 4.2.1 of the Video Conferencing with Zoom plugin for WordPress contain this vulnerability.

Here's a code snippet showcasing the hardcoded key within the function

function vczapi_encrypt_decrypt( $action, $string ) {
    $output = false;
    $encrypt_method = "AES-256-CBC";
    $secret_key = 'Zoom API Encryption';
    $secret_iv = 'Zoom API Encryption';

    ...
}

In the code sample above, you can see that both '$secret_key' and '$secret_iv' have a hardcoded value of 'Zoom API Encryption'. This makes it relatively easy for an attacker to exploit this vulnerability.

Exploitation

Unauthenticated attackers can exploit vczapi_encrypt_decrypt by decrypting meeting IDs and passwords. This would then enable them to access sensitive information about the plugin’s users and infiltrate private meetings or misuse user passwords. It's crucial to emphasize that attackers don't need special privileges or access to utilize this vulnerability – being aware of the hardcoded encryption key is sufficient.

References

For more information on this vulnerability, you can consult the original security researcher's notes on the matter, along with the following links:

1. Official CVE: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-3947

2. https://github.com/zoom/zoom-wordpress-plugin

Mitigating the Risk of CVE-2023-3947

The most effective way to protect your WordPress site from this vulnerability is to update your Video Conferencing with Zoom plugin to the latest version as soon as possible. Since the security flaw is found in versions up to and including 4.2.1, you should immediately update to a newer version to put an end to the risk of unauthenticated attackers decrypting sensitive information.

Conclusion

It is a harsh reality that as technology becomes more integral to our daily lives, we must also remain vigilant about the vulnerabilities and risks that can compromise our personal data. The CVE-2023-3947 vulnerability is a stark reminder that even seemingly low-risk systems like WordPress plugins can have significant security implications.

Staying up to date with the latest security patches can provide the first line of defense against incursions, ensuring that your digital interactions remain secure and your private data stays private.

Timeline

Published on: 07/26/2023 04:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 08/02/2023 19:37:00 UTC