CVE-2015-2792

WPML < 3.1.8 - Authorization Bypass

2015-03-02 00:00
Jouko Pynnöne

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 3.1.9.1
Affected Plugin
WPML Multilingual CMS
Affected Version
< 3.1.9
CVSS
5.4Medium
Weakness type
CWE-284 · Improper Access Control
CVE
CVE-2015-2792
View all WPML Multilingual CMS vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2015-2792 is a medium-severity Improper Access Control vulnerability in the WPML Multilingual CMS WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 3.1.9. It carries a CVSS score of 5.4 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The issue is fixed in version 3.1.9.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed March 2015, reported by Jouko Pynnöne.

Vulnerability Overview

The WPML plugin before 3.1.9 for WordPress does not properly handle multiple actions in a request, which allows remote attackers to bypass nonce checks and perform arbitrary actions via a request containing an action POST parameter, an action GET parameter, and a valid nonce for the action GET parameter.

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 WPML Multilingual CMS < 3.1.9 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 WPML Multilingual CMS the fix is 3.1.9.1: builds < 3.1.9 are affected, anything from 3.1.9.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 3.1.9.1, 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: WPML Multilingual CMS 3.1.9.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Login Security
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-2792https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/490f5939-a990-4fb7-9515-f8dcee53d75ahttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-2792

Related records

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