CVE-2023-7198: WP Dashboard Notes WordPress Plugin Vulnerability - Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) Exploit

The CVE-2023-7198 vulnerability resides in the WP Dashboard Notes WordPress plugin, with versions prior to 1..11 being affected. This plugin allows users to create notes and display them on their WordPress dashboard. However, it was discovered that the plugin is susceptible to Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) exploits. Specifically, the vulnerability is present in the post_id= parameter, which enables authenticated users to delete private notes that belong to other accounts. As a result, this poses a significant security risk as it violates the principle of least privilege and compromises the integrity and privacy of user data.

To better understand the vulnerability, the following sections will cover the IDOR exploit details, code snippet demonstration, and links to original references.

Exploit Details

IDOR vulnerabilities expose a web application's resources to unauthorized users, which can occur when an attacker accesses or manipulates crafted URLs or parameter values. In the case of CVE-2023-7198, attackers can exploit authenticated users' ability to delete private notes from other user accounts.

Here, the WP Dashboard Notes plugin fails to validate the post_id= parameter when processing deletion requests. This allows a malicious user to manipulate the parameter and delete any note, regardless of its ownership. This vulnerability not only violates the principle of least privilege but also poses a significant threat to users' data integrity and privacy.

Code Snippet

The following code snippet demonstrates how the IDOR vulnerability is exposed through the post_id= parameter:

// Vulnerable section in the WP Dashboard Notes plugin

// ...

if (isset($_POST['action']) && $_POST['action'] == 'delete') {
    $post_id = $_POST['post_id']; // <-- Insecure Direct Object Reference here
    wp_delete_post($post_id);
}
// ...

As seen in the snippet above, the $post_id variable, which is derived from the post_id= parameter, is used without proper validation in the wp_delete_post() function. This allows authenticated users to influence the value of post_id= to delete private notes of other accounts.

Links to Original References

1. WP Dashboard Notes WordPress Plugin: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-dashboard-notes/
2. CVE-2023-7198 Vulnerability Information: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-7198
3. Plugin Changelog, including the 1..11 update that fixes the vulnerability: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-dashboard-notes/#developers
4. Principle of Least Privilege: https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/principle-of-least-privilege-POLP

Conclusion

In conclusion, the CVE-2023-7198 vulnerability exposes private notes to unauthorized deletion within the WP Dashboard Notes WordPress plugin, and versions before 1..11 are affected by this. Users of the plugin are urged to update to version 1..11 or later to address the IDOR exploit. Stricter input validation, particularly around the post_id= parameter, and adherence to the principle of least privilege can help to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future applications.

Timeline

Published on: 02/27/2024 09:15:37 UTC
Last modified on: 02/27/2024 14:20:06 UTC