ExactMetrics 7.1.0 - 9.0.2 - Authenticated (Custom) Improper Privilege Management to Role Privilege Escalation via Settings Update

The ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress plugin is vulnerable to Improper Privilege Management in versions 7.1.0 through 9.0.2. This is due to the `update_settings()` function accepting arbitrary plugin setting names without a whitelist of allowed settings. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers with the `exactmetrics_save_settings` capability to modify any plugin setting, including the `save_settings` option that controls which user roles have access to plugin functionality. The admin intended to delegate configuration access to a trusted user, not enable that user to delegate access to everyone. By setting `save_settings` to include `subscriber`, an attacker can grant plugin administrative access to all subscribers on the site.

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: ExactMetrics 9.0.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

• Login Security
• Alerts