CVE-2023-2833

ReviewX <= 1.6.13 - Arbitrary Usermeta Update to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Privilege Escalation

2023-05-31 00:00
István Márton

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.6.14
Affected Plugin
ReviewX – Multi-Criteria Reviews for WooCommerce with Google Reviews & Schema
Affected Version
<= 1.6.13
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-269 · Improper Privilege Management
CVE
CVE-2023-2833
View all ReviewX – Multi-Criteria Reviews for WooCommerce with Google Reviews & Schema vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2023-2833 is a high-severity Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in the ReviewX WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.6.13. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Subscriber level or above. The issue is fixed in version 1.6.14; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed May 2023, reported by István Márton.

Vulnerability Overview

The ReviewX plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation in versions up to, and including, 1.6.13 due to insufficient restriction on the 'rx_set_screen_options' function. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with minimal permissions such as a subscriber, to modify their user role by supplying the 'wp_screen_options[option]' and 'wp_screen_options[value]' parameters during a screen option update.

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-269: Improper Privilege Management

ReviewX <= 1.6.13 carries this weakness at rx_set_screen_options, and reaching it takes an account at Subscriber level or above. Improper privilege management means the code lets an account end up with capabilities its role should not have.

It converts a low-privileged account into an administrative one, which makes every other restriction on the site irrelevant. For ReviewX the fix is 1.6.14: builds <= 1.6.13 are affected, anything from 1.6.14 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.6.14, 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: ReviewX 1.6.14 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-2833https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/70e1d701-2cff-4793-9e4c-5b16a4038e8dhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2833

Related records

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