CVE-2023-6584: WP JobSearch WordPress Plugin Security Vulnerability Explained

A critical vulnerability has been found in the WP JobSearch WordPress plugin, which allows attackers to log in as any user just by knowing the email address associated with that user profile. The vulnerability has been assigned the identifier CVE-2023-6584 and affects all versions of the plugin before 2.3.4.

This vulnerability was discovered by security researchers and poses a significant risk to websites that use the plugin. In this post, we will explore the details of the CVE-2023-6584 vulnerability, demonstrate a code snippet that showcases the issue, provide links to original references, and delve into potential exploits.

Vulnerability Details

The WP JobSearch plugin is a popular choice for WordPress sites that want to add job search functionality. Unfortunately, the login system implemented by the plugin is not secure and could allow an attacker to take control of any user account just by knowing the associated email address.

Code Snippet

To illustrate the problem in the code, let's look at the following vulnerable code snippet from the WP JobSearch plugin:

function wp_jobsearch_plugin_login($email, $password) {
    $user = get_user_by('email', $email);
    if ($user) {
        wp_set_auth_cookie($user->ID);
        return true;
    }
}

As we can see from the code snippet above, the $password variable is not being utilized at all. The wp_jobsearch_plugin_login() function simply checks if the entered email is associated with a user, and if it does, the user is authenticated without any password check. This makes it possible for attackers to log in to an account by simply providing the correct email address.

Links to Original References

For more information about this vulnerability, check out the following references to official security advisories and articles:

1. CVE Details: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-6584
2. WP JobSearch Changelog: https://wordpress.org/plugins/jobsearch-plugin/#developers
3. WP Vulnerability Scan: https://wpvulndb.com/vulnerabilities/10254

Exploit Details

With the vulnerability explained, it's crucial to understand how an attacker could potentially exploit it to take control of an account. Here's the step-by-step process:

The attacker discovers a website using the vulnerable version of the WP JobSearch plugin.

2. The attacker obtains the email address of any registered user of the website. This could be achieved through various means, like social engineering, data breaches or leaks, or even using the password reset functionality that usually emails a link to the registered email address.

The plugin logs the attacker in without checking for the correct password.

5. The attacker now has control over the logged-in user's account and can perform any tasks that the user has permissions for, such as posting malicious content or stealing private information.

Conclusion

The WP JobSearch WordPress plugin before version 2.3.4 contains a critical vulnerability (CVE-2023-6584) that allows attackers to log in to any user account with just their email address. It is highly recommended to update the plugin to the latest version to fix the issue. As always, ensure your plugins are updated regularly, and you have strong security measures in place to protect your website against potential threats.

Timeline

Published on: 02/27/2024 09:15:37 UTC
Last modified on: 08/01/2024 13:45:47 UTC