Simple Download Monitor <= 3.2.8 - Missing Authorization

2016-01-19 00:00
James Golovich

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 3.2.9
Affected Plugin
Simple Download Monitor
Affected Version
<= 3.2.8
CVSS
9.9Critical
Weakness type
CWE-285 · Improper Authorization
CVE
CVE pending
View all Simple Download Monitor vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a critical-severity Improper Authorization vulnerability in the Simple Download Monitor WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.2.8. It carries a CVSS score of 9.9 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 3.2.9; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed January 2016, reported by James Golovich.

Vulnerability Overview

The Simple Download Monitor plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to authorization bypass due to missing capability checks on the 'sdm_tiny_get_post_ids_ajax_call()' and 'sdm_remove_thumbnail_image_ajax_call()' functions in versions up to, and including, 3.2.8. This makes it possible for unauthorized attackers to access otherwise private files and delete thumbnails.

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 privileges on the target site, and no interaction from a victim user. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality.

CWE-285: Improper Authorization

Simple Download Monitor <= 3.2.8 carries this weakness at and, and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Improper authorization means a permission check exists but does not cover the case being exercised, so a caller who is allowed to do one thing is allowed to do a neighbouring thing as well.

A lower-privileged account performs an action reserved for a higher one, which on a multi-author or membership site means an ordinary user reaching administrative behaviour. For Simple Download Monitor the fix is 3.2.9: builds <= 3.2.8 are affected, anything from 3.2.9 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.2.9, 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: Simple Download Monitor 3.2.9 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/f5ad74c5-93ba-414c-98ad-0987547f172f

Related records

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