CVE-2023-37978

HTTP Headers <= 1.18.11 - Server-Side Request Forgery

2023-07-13 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 1.19.0
Affected Plugin: HTTP Headers
Affected Version: <= 1.18.11
CVSS: 5.5Medium
Weakness type: CWE-918 · Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)
CVE: CVE-2023-37978

At a glance

CVE-2023-37978 is a medium-severity Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in the HTTP Headers WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.18.11. It carries a CVSS score of 5.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The issue is fixed in version 1.19.0; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed July 2023, reported by emad.

Vulnerability Overview

The HTTP Headers plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Server-Side Request Forgery in versions up to, and including, 1.18.11 via the ajax-inspect.php file. This can allow authenticated attackers with admin access to make web requests to arbitrary locations originating from the web application and can be used to query and modify information from internal services.

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.

CWE-918: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

Reaching this weakness in HTTP Headers <= 1.18.11 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Server-side request forgery means the application fetches a URL supplied by the caller, turning the server into a proxy for requests the attacker could not make directly.

The request originates from inside the hosting network, which is how these flaws reach cloud metadata endpoints, internal admin panels and services that trust local traffic. For HTTP Headers the fix is 1.19.0: builds <= 1.18.11 are affected, anything from 1.19.0 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.19.0, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to HTTP Headers: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: HTTP Headers 1.19.0 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-37978 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/69971673-e317-452c-8c54-97de006a214f https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-37978

Related records

Other vulnerabilities in HTTP Headers

CVSS Vector

5.5

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredHigh
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
ConfidentialityLow
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityNone

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