CVE-2009-2336

WordPress Core & WordPress MU < 2.8.1 - Username Enumeration

2009-07-09 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 2.8.1
Affected Core: WordPress 2.8
Affected Version: <= 2.8
CVSS: 5.3Medium
Weakness type: CWE-203 · Observable Discrepancy
CVE: CVE-2009-2336

At a glance

CVE-2009-2336 is a medium-severity Observable Discrepancy vulnerability in the WordPress 2.8 WordPress release line, affecting <= 2.8. 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 2.8.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed July 2009.

Vulnerability Overview

The forgotten mail interface in WordPress and WordPress MU before 2.8.1 exhibits different behavior for a password request depending on whether the user account exists, which allows remote attackers to enumerate valid usernames. NOTE: the vendor reportedly disputes the significance of this issue, indicating that the behavior exists for "user convenience."

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-203: Observable Discrepancy

The product behaves differently or sends different responses under different circumstances in a way that is observable to an unauthorized actor.

Remediation

Update to version 2.8.1, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The fix is the thing that ends this: updating to 2.8.1 is the step that ends it.

Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-2336 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/08f83fd1-5e8c-472f-819a-6078a5d2a56b https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-2336

Related records

Other vulnerabilities in WordPress 2.8

CVSS Vector

5.3

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone

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