Newsletters <= 4.6.4.2 - Directory Traversal

2017-05-29 00:00
Neven Birusk

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.6.4.3
Affected Plugin
Newsletters
Affected Version
<= 4.6.4.2
CVSS
4.9Medium
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE pending
View all Newsletters vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a medium-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the Newsletters WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 4.6.4.2. It carries a CVSS score of 4.9 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). The issue is fixed in version 4.6.4.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed May 2017, reported by Neven Birusk.

Vulnerability Overview

The Newsletters plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to directory traversal due to insufficient validation on the data supplied via the 'file' parameter in versions up to, and including 4.6.4.2. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers to access arbitrary files on the system.

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 confidentiality.

CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

Newsletters <= 4.6.4.2 carries this weakness at file, and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Path traversal happens when user-controlled text is used to build a filesystem path without being constrained to an intended directory, so sequences like ../ walk the resolved path somewhere else.

Depending on the operation, it means reading files outside the intended folder — wp-config.php being the usual target — or writing to and deleting paths the web server can touch. For Newsletters the fix is 4.6.4.3: builds <= 4.6.4.2 are affected, anything from 4.6.4.3 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.6.4.3, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Newsletters: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Newsletters 4.6.4.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/8e0e6fdd-49d2-404a-83e8-c4884bbe7088

Related records

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