CVE-2005-2109

WordPress Core < 1.5.1.3 - Arbitrary Email Content Change

2005-06-29 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 1.5.1.3
Affected Core: WordPress 1.5
Affected Version: <= 1.5.1.2
CVSS: 5.3Medium
Weakness type: CWE-74 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CVE: CVE-2005-2109

At a glance

CVE-2005-2109 is a medium-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection') vulnerability in the WordPress 1.5 WordPress release line, affecting <= 1.5.1.2. It carries a CVSS score of 5.3 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 1.5.1.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2005, reported by James Bercegay.

Vulnerability Overview

wp-login.php in WordPress 1.5.1.2 and earlier allows remote attackers to change the content of the forgotten password e-mail message via the message variable, which is not initialized before use.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as remotely reachable over the network, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no privileges on the target site, and no interaction from a victim user.

CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')

The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.

Remediation

Update to version 1.5.1.3, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to WordPress 1.5: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: updating to 1.5.1.3 is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-2109 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/f25d0409-dbca-4c5a-9f43-fc03e5307d0f https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2005-2109

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in WordPress 1.5

CVSS Vector

5.3

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone

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