The recent discovery of the CVE-2023-47764 vulnerability in Metaphor Creations Ditty has led to significant concern among security researchers and users alike. This critical issue requires immediate attention as it affects a popular WordPress plugin, Ditty, from versions n/a through 3.1.24. If left unpatched, hackers can exploit the vulnerability caused by incorrectly configured access control security levels. In this post, we will delve deeper into the specifics of this vulnerability, understand the code snippets involved, and highlight the critical exploits that attackers could potentially use.

Understanding CVE-2023-47764 Vulnerability

At its core, CVE-2023-47764 is a missing authorization vulnerability in the Metaphor Creations' Ditty plugin. This WordPress plugin is known for its functionality and flexibility, allowing users to create custom news tickers or scrollers for their websites. However, this vulnerability raises alarm as it enables hackers to bypass access controls and perform unauthorized actions, potentially leading to data leakage or manipulation.

Despite having access control mechanisms in place, certain parts of the plugin code do not require validation of user permissions to grant access. Owing to this, attackers can take advantage of the compromised security levels and manipulate data or even take control of the entire website. The affected versions are from n/a through 3.1.24, which require immediate patching to minimize the risk of exploitation.

The following is an example of a code snippet within the plugin that exposes this vulnerability

add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_ditty_get_ticker', 'mtphr_ditty_get_ticker');
add_action('wp_ajax_ditty_get_ticker', 'mtphr_ditty_get_ticker');

function mtphr_ditty_get_ticker() {
// Missing authorization checks
$nonce_check = sanitize_key( $_POST['mtphr_ditty_nonce'] );

$news_ticker_id = sanitize_key($_POST['ticker_id']);
$settings = get_option('mtphr_ditty_settings');

process_and_send_data($news_ticker_id, $settings);
}

In the above code, the mtphr_ditty_get_ticker() function processes and sends data from the news ticker without any explicit authorization checks. As a consequence, any attacker could potentially manipulate the parameters and exploit the plugin through unauthorized access.

Exploit Details

Attackers could use multiple methods to exploit the missing authorization vulnerability in the Ditty plugin. Some of these methods include:

1. Unauthorized Access: By manipulating the data within the plugin's AJAX request, an attacker could gain unauthorized access to sensitive information and potentially alter or delete it.

2. Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks: Exploiting the vulnerability could lead to DoS attacks, overwhelming and crashing the server, leading to the unavailability of the website.

3. Privilege Escalation: By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker could gain elevated privileges on the target system, allowing them to execute commands, manipulate settings, and even take complete control of the WordPress site.

Where to Get More Information

To learn more about the CVE-2023-47764 vulnerability, track updates, and get the latest patches, follow these resources:

1. Metaphor Creations' Official Advisory: http://www.metaphorcreations.com/advisory/cve-2023-47764
2. CVE Master Entry: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-47764
3. National Vulnerability Database (NVD) Entry: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-47764

Conclusion

Given the critical nature of the CVE-2023-47764 vulnerability in the Metaphor Creations Ditty plugin, it is highly recommended for users to apply the available patches and updates as soon as possible. Addressing this vulnerability protects your WordPress website from unauthorized access, data manipulation, and potential server compromise, thus maintaining a high level of overall security. Stay up-to-date with the latest security advisories to ensure you have the most current information regarding this and other vulnerabilities.

Timeline

Published on: 12/09/2024 13:15:30 UTC