Download Monitor <= 4.7.2 - Authenticated Directory Traversal to Sensitive Information Exposure

2022-11-01 00:00
Anonymous

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.7.3
Affected Plugin
Download Monitor
Affected Version
<= 4.7.2
CVSS
4.9Medium
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE pending
View all Download Monitor vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a medium-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Download Monitor WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 4.7.2. It carries a CVSS score of 4.9 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account. The issue is fixed in version 4.7.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2022.

Vulnerability Overview

The Download Monitor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Directory Traversal in versions up to, and including, 4.7.2 via the list_files function. This allows users with manage_downloads permissions to read the contents of arbitrary files on the server, which can contain sensitive information.

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')

Reaching this weakness in Download Monitor <= 4.7.2 takes any authenticated account. 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 Download Monitor the fix is 4.7.3: builds <= 4.7.2 are affected, anything from 4.7.3 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.7.3, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Download Monitor: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Download Monitor 4.7.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/4f7fa5a4-07d7-4815-b393-871568777b0f

Related records

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