CVE-2014-9260

WordPress Download Manager <= 2.7.2 - Authenticated Arbitrary Options Update

2014-11-24 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 2.7.3
Affected Plugin: Download Manager
Affected Version: < 2.7.3
CVSS: 8.1High
Weakness type: CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE: CVE-2014-9260

View all Download Manager vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2014-9260 is a high-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the Download Manager WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 2.7.3. It carries a CVSS score of 8.1 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account. The issue is fixed in version 2.7.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2014, reported by Kacper Szurek.

Vulnerability Overview

The basic_settings function in the download manager plugin for WordPress before 2.7.3 allows remote authenticated users to update every WordPress option.

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 integrity, availability.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

Reaching this weakness in Download Manager < 2.7.3 takes any authenticated account. 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 Download Manager the fix is 2.7.3: builds < 2.7.3 are affected, anything from 2.7.3 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 2.7.3, 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: Download Manager 2.7.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Login Security
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-9260 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/567782f9-a050-4e68-9491-e038d7e383f5 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-9260

Related records

Same weakness class

Other vulnerabilities in Download Manager

CVSS Vector

8.1

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredLow
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh

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