ansi-regex >=2.1.1 <3.0.1 >=4.0.0 <4.1.1 >=5.0.0 <5.0.1 >=6.0.0 <6.0.1 - Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS)

2021-09-09 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 1.0.5
Affected Plugin: Insert Special Characters
Affected Version: <= 1.0.4
CVSS: 7.5High
Weakness type: CWE-1333 · Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity
CVE: CVE pending

View all Insert Special Characters vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a high-severity Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity vulnerability in the Insert Special Characters WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.0.4. It carries a CVSS score of 7.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high availability impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 1.0.5; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2021.

Vulnerability Overview

ansi-regex is vulnerable to Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity. Some WordPress plugins and themes use this dependency though that doesn’t necessarily mean the plugin itself is vulnerable to exploitation.

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 availability.

CWE-1333: Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity

The product uses a regular expression with a worst-case computational complexity that is inefficient and possibly exponential.

Remediation

Update to version 1.0.5, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The fix is the thing that ends this: Insert Special Characters 1.0.5 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/aa13c293-0530-478c-acfc-f7d69edae318

Related records

Same weakness class

7.5CVE-2021-43307: semver-regex and 4.0.0-4.0.3 - Regular Expression DoSCVE-2021-43307

Other vulnerabilities in Insert Special Characters

CVSS Vector

7.5

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

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh

This record contains material that is subject to copyright

CVE Usage: MITRE hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE®). Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.

https://www.cve.org/Legal/TermsOfUse

Defiant hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute this software vulnerability information. Any copy of the software vulnerability information you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you include a hyperlink to this vulnerability record and reproduce Defiant's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.

https://www.wordfence.com/wordfence-intelligence-terms-and-conditions/