Duplicate Page and Post <= 2.1.1 - Malicious Backdoor

2017-12-27 00:00
Wordfence

Strategic Overview

Status
Unpatched
Affected Version
<= 2.1.1
CVSS
9.8Critical
Weakness type
CWE-506 · Embedded Malicious Code
CVE
CVE pending
View all Duplicate Page and Post vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a critical-severity Embedded Malicious Code vulnerability in the Duplicate Page and Post WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 2.1.1. It carries a CVSS score of 9.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. No fixed release has been reported yet; treat installations running this software as exposed. Disclosed December 2017, reported by Wordfence.

Vulnerability Overview

The Duplicate Page and Post plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to a developer-created backdoor in versions up to, and including, 2.1.1. This makes it possible for the developer to inject content to normal site visitors, web crawlers, or the site administrators.

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-506: Embedded Malicious Code

Reaching this weakness in Duplicate Page and Post <= 2.1.1 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Embedded malicious code means functionality was deliberately placed in the software to act against the site owner's interest, rather than being an accidental defect.

Removing the software is not enough on its own — anything it created or modified while active has to be audited too. No fixed build of this plugin is recorded for Duplicate Page and Post yet, so installs running <= 2.1.1 stay exposed until the vendor ships one.

Remediation

No known patch available. Please review the vulnerability's details in depth and employ mitigations based on your organization's risk tolerance. It may be best to uninstall the affected software and find a replacement.

How does WordSec protect against this?

Classes like this one can leave something behind, so the staged malware scanner is the second half: it looks for dropped files and modified code rather than for the request that created them. No patched version is recorded yet, which is the case where a filtering layer matters most, because there is nothing to update to.

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External References

Vulnerability data © Defiant, Inc., provided under the Wordfence Intelligence T&C