CVE-2023-23888

RankMath SEO <= 1.0.107.2 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Local File Inclusion

2023-01-30 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 1.0.107.3
Affected Plugin: Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings
Affected Version: <= 1.0.107.2
CVSS: 6.5Medium
Weakness type: CWE-23 · Relative Path Traversal
CVE: CVE-2023-23888

View all Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2023-23888 is a medium-severity Relative Path Traversal vulnerability in the Rank Math SEO WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.0.107.2. It carries a CVSS score of 6.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Contributor level or above. The issue is fixed in version 1.0.107.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2023, reported by Rafie Muhammad.

Vulnerability Overview

The RankMath SEO plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Local File Inclusion via the 'update_schemas' and 'get_snippet_content' functions. This allows authenticated attackers, with contributor-level permissions and above, to include and execute arbitrary PHP files on the server, allowing the execution of any PHP code in those files. This can be used to bypass access controls or obtain sensitive data.

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-23: Relative Path Traversal

The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize sequences such as .. that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.

Remediation

Update to version 1.0.107.3, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Contributor access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Rank Math SEO 1.0.107.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Firewall
Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-23888 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/1f8634d1-9201-4af5-9e06-c28ffcb51046 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-23888

Related records

Other vulnerabilities in Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings

CVSS Vector

6.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredLow
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone

This record contains material that is subject to copyright

CVE Usage: MITRE hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE®). Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.

https://www.cve.org/Legal/TermsOfUse

Defiant hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute this software vulnerability information. Any copy of the software vulnerability information you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you include a hyperlink to this vulnerability record and reproduce Defiant's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.

https://www.wordfence.com/wordfence-intelligence-terms-and-conditions/