CVE-2018-11526

WordPress Comments Import & Export <= 2.0.4 - CSV Injection

2018-06-21 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 2.0.5
Affected Plugin: Comments Import & Export
Affected Version: <= 2.0.4
CVSS: 6.1Medium
Weakness type: CWE-74 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CVE: CVE-2018-11526

View all Comments Import & Export vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2018-11526 is a medium-severity Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection') vulnerability in the Comments Import & Export WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.0.4. It carries a CVSS score of 6.1 (low attack complexity). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 2.0.5; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2018, reported by Bhushan B. Patil.

Vulnerability Overview

The WordPress Comments Import & Export plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to CSV Injection in versions up to, and including, 2.0.4 via the form fields. This allows unauthenticated attackers to embed untrusted input into exported CSV files, which can result in code execution when these files are downloaded and opened on a local system with a vulnerable configuration.

Technical Analysis

The vector marks this flaw as requiring local or adjacent access, with low attack complexity — no special timing or configuration is needed, and no privileges on the target site.

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 2.0.5, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Comments Import & Export: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Comments Import & Export 2.0.5 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-11526 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/3011f85c-fa30-4ccf-b067-dba45e491acb https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-11526

Related records

Same weakness class

6.1CVE-2022-45370: WordPress Comments Import & Export CSV InjectionCVE-2022-45370

Other vulnerabilities in Comments Import & Export

CVSS Vector

6.1

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

Base

Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionRequired
ScopeChanged
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityLow

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