MainWP (Various Extensions) - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary File Deletion
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 4.0.3
- Affected Plugin
- MainWP Article Uploader Extension
- Affected Version
<= 4.0.2- CVSS
- 8.1High
- Weakness type
- CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
- CVE
CVE pending
At a glance
This record tracks a high-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the MainWP Article Uploader Extension WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 4.0.2. It carries a CVSS score of 8.1 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Subscriber level or above. The issue is fixed in version 4.0.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2023, reported by Patchstack.
Vulnerability Overview
Several MainWP extensions for WordPress are vulnerable to arbitrary file downloads. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level permissions and above, to delete arbitrary files from the affected site.
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. A successful exploit has high impact on integrity, availability.
CWE-862: Missing Authorization
Reaching this weakness in MainWP Article Uploader Extension <= 4.0.2 takes an account at Subscriber level or above. A missing authorization check means a function is reachable by anyone who can reach the endpoint, because the code never asks whether the caller is allowed to perform the action.
Any user who can reach the endpoint gets to run an action reserved for higher-privileged roles, from reading protected data to changing settings or content. For MainWP Article Uploader Extension the fix is 4.0.3: builds <= 4.0.2 are affected, anything from 4.0.3 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 4.0.3, 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: MainWP Article Uploader Extension 4.0.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Login Security
- Alerts
External References
Related records
Same weakness class
Other vulnerabilities in MainWP Article Uploader Extension
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