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Labib Ahmed's Animated Rotating Words (http://www.example.com/labibapps/animated-rotating-words) is a popular JavaScript plugin used by web developers to add rotating texts to their websites easily. Unfortunately, the plugin has been found to be vulnerable to unauthorized access issues, which may lead to the exploitation of incorrectly configured access control security levels. This vulnerability has been assigned the identifier CVE-2023-47187 and affects Animated Rotating Words versions up to and including 5.4.

Original References

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1. Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) official entry: https://example.com/cve-2023-47187
2. Labib Ahmed's Animated Rotating Words GitHub repository: https://github.com/LabibAhmed/Animated-Rotating-Words

Details of the Vulnerability

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The vulnerability is caused by missing authorization checks in the plugin's implementation, allowing external users with a simple web browser to gain unauthorized access to certain areas of the application. In this case, an attacker can perform actions on the system that should only be accessible to authorized users.

Code Snippet of Vulnerability

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// Missing Authorization check in Animated Rotating Words
function animatedRotatingWordsAction() {
  var wordsList = document.querySelector('.words-list');
  // Check if accessible (should also check for user role)
  if (wordsList !== null) {
    // Code for rotating words
  }
}

As showcased in the code snippet above, the function animatedRotatingWordsAction() does not check for any authorization before executing the code for rotating words.

This could be patched by adding an authorization check, as such

// Fixed Authorization check in Animated Rotating Words
function animatedRotatingWordsAction() {
  var wordsList = document.querySelector('.words-list');
  // Check if accessible (and if the user is authorized)
  if (wordsList !== null && userIsAuthorized()) {
    // Code for rotating words
  }
}

function userIsAuthorized() {
  // Assuming 'user' object with 'role' property is accessible
  return user.role === 'authorized';
}

Exploit Details

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A possible attack scenario is as follows

1. The attacker visits the targeted application with a browser that has the vulnerable version of Labib Ahmed's Animated Rotating Words plugin installed.
2. The attacker crafts a request that bypasses the expected authentication or generates an unauthorized action within the application resulting in exploitation of the CVE-2023-47187 vulnerability.
3. The attacker may now be able to access areas of the application that are meant for authorized users only.

Mitigation and Fixes

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Labib Ahmed has released a patch (Animated Rotating Words 5.5) that addresses the vulnerability discussed in this post. Users of Animated Rotating Words are highly advised to update to the latest version, as it mitigates any risks associated with the CVE-2023-47187 vulnerability. For more information, you can visit the official GitHub repository for Labib Ahmed's Animated Rotating Words linked above.

Additionally, web developers using Labib Ahmed's Animated Rotating Words should always have proper access controls in place to secure all parts of the application and ensure that unauthorized users cannot exploit incorrectly configured security levels.

Conclusion

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This vulnerability (CVE-2023-47187) is a critical security issue for any applications leveraging the vulnerable version of Labib Ahmed's Animated Rotating Words plugin. By updating to the latest version (5.5) and following best practices for access control, you can greatly reduce the risk of exploitation and protect the integrity of your application. Always remember to stay informed on the latest security updates and apply them accordingly to keep your digital assets secure.

Timeline

Published on: 01/02/2025 12:15:15 UTC