CVE-2023-7165 - Critical Vulnerability in JetBackup WordPress Plugin: Public Directory Listing Exposure of Sensitive Backup Files

A critical vulnerability has been found in the JetBackup WordPress plugin (versions before 2..9.9) that could potentially expose sensitive backup files to attackers. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-7165, is caused by the lack of index files in certain plugin configurations, which can lead to unintended public directory listings.

In this post, we will delve into the technical details of CVE-2023-7165, discuss the potential implications of exploit, provide code snippets to demonstrate the vulnerability, and links to original references for further information.

Exploit Details

The JetBackup plugin for WordPress allows users to create and manage backups of their websites. However, certain configurations of the plugin do not use index files (such as index.php or index.html), which prevent directory listing in the webserver. As a result, sensitive directories containing backup files can become publicly accessible, creating a potential leak of sensitive data.

To illustrate the issue, consider the following code snippet from the vulnerable JetBackup version

// JetBackup module configuration
$jetBackupConfig = array(
    // ...
    'backup_directory' => '/path/to/backup/dir'
    // ...
);

// Webserver configuration (.htaccess file)
<Directory "/path/to/backup/dir">
    Options +Indexes
</Directory>

In this example, the JetBackup plugin is configured to store backups in the specified directory (/path/to/backup/dir). The corresponding .htaccess (Apache server configuration) file incorrectly enables directory listing with the Options +Indexes directive.

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by browsing the publicly listed directories containing sensitive backup files, potentially gaining unauthorized access to user data and website resources.

Proof-of-Concept Exploit

To demonstrate the exploit, an attacker could visit the following URL in their web browser (replacing example.com with the target website domain):

http://example.com/path/to/backup/dir

If the JetBackup plugin is misconfigured, the directory listing will be displayed, exposing sensitive backup files for an attacker to download and potentially exploit.

Mitigation and Recommendations

To address this vulnerability, users should update their JetBackup plugin to version 2..9.9 or later. Additionally, it is recommended to add index files to sensitive directories, or explicitly disable directory listing within the web server configuration file.

For example, the following .htaccess file will disable directory listing for the specified backup directory:

<Directory "/path/to/backup/dir">
    Options -Indexes
</Directory>

Links to Original References

- CVE Details: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-7165
- National Vulnerability Database: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-7165
- JetBackup Security Advisory: https://www.jetbackup.com/blog/cve-2023-7165-jetbackup-wordpress-plugin-security-update/

Conclusion

CVE-2023-7165 is a critical vulnerability in the JetBackup WordPress plugin that exposes sensitive backup files to potential attackers due to the lack of index files in certain configurations. Users should ensure that they are running the latest version of the plugin (2..9.9 or later) and have properly configured their webserver settings to prevent public directory listing of sensitive directories.

Timeline

Published on: 02/27/2024 09:15:37 UTC
Last modified on: 08/09/2024 19:35:02 UTC