Freemius SDK <= 2.2.3 - Missing Authorization to Arbitrary Options Update

2019-02-25 00:00
Anonymous

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 3.1.7
Affected Plugin
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery
Affected Version
< 3.1.7
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE
CVE pending
View all Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a high-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 3.1.7. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). The root cause is a missing authorization check on a reachable function. The issue is fixed in version 3.1.7; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed February 2019.

Vulnerability Overview

The Freemius SDK for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to a missing capability check on the _get_db_option and _set_db_option functions in versions up to, and including, 2.2.3. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level permissions and above, to change site settings and potentially take over the 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 confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

Reaching this weakness in Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes < 3.1.7 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. 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 Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes the fix is 3.1.7: builds < 3.1.7 are affected, anything from 3.1.7 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.1.7, 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: Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes 3.1.7 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/3fda31fa-efc9-44b9-99ba-9e3e23aa2ee0

Related records

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