Apocalypse Meow 21.1.3 - 21.2.7 - Authentication Bypass

2017-12-03 00:00
Steve

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 21.2.8
Affected Plugin
Apocalypse Meow
Affected Version
21.1.3 – 21.2.7
CVSS
9.8Critical
Weakness type
CWE-261 · Weak Encoding for Password
CVE
CVE pending
View all Apocalypse Meow vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a critical-severity Weak Encoding for Password vulnerability in the Apocalypse Meow WordPress plugin, affecting versions 21.1.3 – 21.2.7. It carries a CVSS score of 9.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 21.2.8; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed December 2017, reported by Steve.

Vulnerability Overview

The Apocalypse Meow plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Authentication Bypass in versions 21.1.3 - 21.2.7. This is due to improper validation via bcrypt. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to bypass the authentication check.

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. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-261: Weak Encoding for Password

Obscuring a password with a trivial encoding does not protect the password.

Remediation

Update to version 21.2.8, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The fix is the thing that ends this: Apocalypse Meow 21.2.8 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Alerts

External References

Related records

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