Infinite Scroll – Ajax Load More <= 5.5.4 - Authenticated (Admin+) Arbitrary File Read via Directory Traversal

2022-08-31 00:00
Anonymous

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 5.5.4.1
Affected Plugin
Ajax Load More – Infinite Scroll, Load More, & Lazy Load
Affected Version
<= 5.5.4
CVSS
4.9Medium
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE pending
View all Ajax Load More – Infinite Scroll, Load More, & Lazy Load vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a medium-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Ajax Load More WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 5.5.4. It carries a CVSS score of 4.9 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Admin level or above. The issue is fixed in version 5.5.4.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed August 2022.

Vulnerability Overview

The WordPress Infinite Scroll – Ajax Load More plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to arbitrary file download via directory traversal due to insufficient file path validation returned via the alm_repeaters_export() function in versions up to, and including, 5.5.4. This makes it possible administrative users to download sensitive files from the server, in addition to unauthenticated users triggering administrators to retrieve sensitive files from the server due to missing nonce protection on the function.

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 interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality.

CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

Ajax Load More <= 5.5.4 carries this weakness at alm_repeaters_export(), and reaching it takes an account at Admin level or above. Path traversal happens when user-controlled text is used to build a filesystem path without being constrained to an intended directory, so sequences like ../ walk the resolved path somewhere else.

Depending on the operation, it means reading files outside the intended folder — wp-config.php being the usual target — or writing to and deleting paths the web server can touch. For Ajax Load More the fix is 5.5.4.1: builds <= 5.5.4 are affected, anything from 5.5.4.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 5.5.4.1, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Admin access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Ajax Load More 5.5.4.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/4f1cf0f3-faf2-43f7-a641-95bfa5d73ca8

Related records

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