CVE-2023-47788

Jetpack <= 12.6.2 - Improper Authorization via WPCom External Media REST endpoints

2023-11-16 00:00
Rafie Muhammad

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 12.7
Affected Version
< 12.7
CVSS
4.3Medium
Weakness type
CWE-285 · Improper Authorization
CVE
CVE-2023-47788
View all Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2023-47788 is a medium-severity Improper Authorization vulnerability in the Jetpack WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 12.7. It carries a CVSS score of 4.3 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The issue is fixed in version 12.7; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2023, reported by Rafie Muhammad.

Vulnerability Overview

The Jetpack plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized modification of data due to a missing capability check on the WPCom External Media REST permission_callback function in versions up to and including 12.6.2. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to import external media even without the upload_files capability.

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-285: Improper Authorization

Reaching this weakness in Jetpack < 12.7 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Improper authorization means a permission check exists but does not cover the case being exercised, so a caller who is allowed to do one thing is allowed to do a neighbouring thing as well.

A lower-privileged account performs an action reserved for a higher one, which on a multi-author or membership site means an ordinary user reaching administrative behaviour. For Jetpack the fix is 12.7: builds < 12.7 are affected, anything from 12.7 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 12.7, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

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: Jetpack 12.7 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

Related records

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