Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth < 4.2 - Timing Attack

2017-04-26 00:00
Scott Arciszewski

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.2
Affected Version
< 4.2
CVSS
9.8Critical
Weakness type
CWE-208 · Observable Timing Discrepancy
CVE
CVE pending
View all Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a critical-severity Observable Timing Discrepancy vulnerability in the Jetpack WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 4.2. It carries a CVSS score of 9.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 4.2; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed April 2017, reported by Scott Arciszewski.

Vulnerability Overview

The Jetpack plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to timing attacks in versions up to, and including, 4.1.x. This is due to lack of a safe string comparison function.

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-208: Observable Timing Discrepancy

Two separate operations in a product require different amounts of time to complete, in a way that is observable to an actor and reveals security-relevant information about the state of the product, such as whether a particular operation was successful or not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.2, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The fix is the thing that ends this: Jetpack 4.2 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Alerts

External References

Related records

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