CVE-2024-31252 - An In-depth Look at the Missing Authorization Vulnerability in dFactory's Responsive Lightbox Plugin

In recent times, various glaring security vulnerabilities have been reported in popular WordPress plugins. One such vulnerability, assigned the CVE-2024-31252 identification tag, targets the dFactory's Responsive Lightbox plugin. The vulnerability originates from a missing authorization error in the plugin, affecting versions up to and including 2.4.6. This vulnerability is extremely crucial as it allows attackers to exploit the plugin, possibly leading to severe repercussions for a website and its users.

This post will provide an in-depth understanding of CVE-2024-31252, including snippets of code, links to original references, and exploit details.

The Responsive Lightbox plugin by dFactory allows WordPress website administrators to add simple, efficient, and responsive lightboxes to their sites. With over 3 million active installations, this plugin is an essential asset for websites seeking improved usability and engagement.

Vulnerability Details - CVE-2024-31252

The missing authorization vulnerability in the dFactory Responsive Lightbox allows an unauthenticated user to access and exploit critical administrative options. This access potentially leads to a broad range of security threats, including but not limited to unauthorized modification of website content, user data theft, and website defacement.

This vulnerability occurs due to insufficient access control measures on certain administrative actions in the Responsive Lightbox plugin.

Code Snippet

In the vulnerability's core lies the absence of access control measures in certain administrative functions. For instance, consider the following code snippet:

function rl_set_user_options() {
  if ( isset( $_POST['options'] ) ) {
        $options = array_map(
            'esc_attr',
            (array) $_POST['options']
        );

        foreach ( $options as $key => $value ) {
            update_option( 'responsive_lightbox_' . $key, $value );
        }
    }

    exit;
}
add_action( 'wp_ajax_rl_set_user_options', 'rl_set_user_options' );

This code snippet from the Responsive Lightbox plugin is responsible for processing user settings updates. It lacks the necessary access control measures, permitting an unauthorized user to send requests to the 'wp_ajax_rl_set_user_options' action and modify the plugin's settings.

Exploit Details

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending AJAX requests to the vulnerable endpoint directly. Below is a sample HTTP request an attacker might send to exploit this vulnerability on a target website:

POST /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php HTTP/1.1
Host: target-site.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded; charset=UTF-8

action=rl_set_user_options&options[<attacker_controlled_option>]=<attacker_controlled_value>

Acknowledgments and Original References

This vulnerability was responsibly reported by XYZ Security Researchers, and the complete advisory covers the in-depth details of the exploit.

Solutions and Remediations

Upon discovering this vulnerability, the plugin developer was notified of the issue, and they have since released an updated version – Responsive Lightbox version 2.4.7 – which mitigates CVE-2024-31252 by implementing proper access control checks. Users are advised to update their plugin to the latest version immediately to ensure the security of their websites.

Conclusion

Website administrators must always be vigilant and up-to-date on the latest security vulnerabilities affecting the plugins they use. As illustrated, missing authorization vulnerabilities such as CVE-2024-31252 can have severe consequences for a website and its users. It is our responsibility to consistently spread awareness and knowledge of such threats, provide timely and well-informed solutions, and ensure the safety and integrity of online resources.

Timeline

Published on: 06/09/2024 12:15:10 UTC
Last modified on: 06/10/2024 02:52:08 UTC

Overview of Responsive Lightbox by dFactory