Qubely <= 1.7.9 - Incorrect Authorization

2022-06-14 00:00
Jan w Oleju

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.8.1
Affected Plugin
Qubely – Advanced Gutenberg Blocks
Affected Version
1.8.0
CVSS
5.4Medium
Weakness type
CWE-863 · Incorrect Authorization
CVE
CVE pending
View all Qubely – Advanced Gutenberg Blocks vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a medium-severity Incorrect Authorization vulnerability in the Qubely WordPress plugin, affecting versions 1.8.0. It carries a CVSS score of 5.4 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The issue is fixed in version 1.8.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed June 2022, reported by Jan w Oleju.

Vulnerability Overview

The Qubely plugin for WordPress contains an incorrect authorization weakness that makes it possible for contributor-level users to update the plugin's settings in versions up to, and including 1.7.8. This is due to the use of the current_user_can() function checking for the edit_posts permission available to contributors rather than the manage_options permission only available to administrators on the ajax_update_qubely_options() function called via the wp_ajax_update_qubely_options AJAX action.

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-863: Incorrect Authorization

Qubely 1.8.0 carries this weakness at current_user_can(), and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Incorrect authorization means a permission check exists but evaluates the wrong thing, so it passes for callers it was meant to stop.

The action runs for users the code intended to exclude, with the same effect as having no check at all. For Qubely the fix is 1.8.1: builds 1.8.0 are affected, anything from 1.8.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.8.1, 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: Qubely 1.8.1 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/86f3c549-2cdd-4294-bc62-0892e94ddbb7

Related records

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