Ajax Search Lite < 3.11 - Missing Authorization to Remote Code Execution

2015-03-26 00:00
Evex

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 3.11
Affected Plugin
Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter
Affected Version
< 3.11
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE
CVE pending
View all Ajax Search Lite – Live Search & Filter vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a high-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the Ajax Search Lite WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 3.11. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). The root cause is a missing authorization check on a reachable function. The issue is fixed in version 3.11; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed March 2015, reported by Evex.

Vulnerability Overview

The Ajax Search Lite plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to a missing capability check on the wpdreams_ajaxinputcallback function in versions up to, and including, 3.10. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level permissions and above, to bypass restricted actions, which can lead to remote code execution.

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, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

Reaching this weakness in Ajax Search Lite < 3.11 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. A missing authorization check means a function is reachable by anyone who can reach the endpoint, because the code never asks whether the caller is allowed to perform the action.

Any user who can reach the endpoint gets to run an action reserved for higher-privileged roles, from reading protected data to changing settings or content. For Ajax Search Lite the fix is 3.11: builds < 3.11 are affected, anything from 3.11 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.11, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

Because it turns on account access, WordSec's login security is the relevant layer: role-based two-factor, captcha and brute-force limits raise the cost of getting the account this needs. None of that substitutes for the fix: Ajax Search Lite 3.11 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/6c439914-1d5a-4607-8e5c-9279fa3b462c

Related records

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