Rank Math SEO <= 1.0.42.1 - Missing Authorization

2020-04-18 00:00
Anonymous

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.0.42.2
Affected Plugin
Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings
Affected Version
< 1.0.42.2
CVSS
5.4Medium
Weakness type
CWE-284 · Improper Access Control
CVE
CVE pending
View all Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a medium-severity Improper Access Control vulnerability in the Rank Math SEO WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 1.0.42.2. It carries a CVSS score of 5.4 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The root cause is a missing authorization check on a reachable function. The issue is fixed in version 1.0.42.2; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed April 2020.

Vulnerability Overview

The Rank Math SEO plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to missing access controls on its "disable competitor plugins" functionality in versions up to, and including, 1.0.42.1. This makes it possible for subscriber-level attackers to disable other SEO or sitemap plugins on 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.

CWE-284: Improper Access Control

Reaching this weakness in Rank Math SEO < 1.0.42.2 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Improper access control means the code decides what a caller may do using something other than their actual permissions, so the decision can be wrong without any check appearing to be missing.

Whoever can shape the request decides the answer, so the protected action runs for callers the code never meant to allow. For Rank Math SEO the fix is 1.0.42.2: builds < 1.0.42.2 are affected, anything from 1.0.42.2 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.0.42.2, 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: Rank Math SEO 1.0.42.2 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/138e0a38-c922-44d1-9fe6-2439ec32cf39

Related records

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