WPML <= 4.5.10 - Unprotected AJAX Actions

2022-09-26 00:00
Anonymous

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.5.11
Affected Plugin
WPML Multilingual CMS
Affected Version
<= 4.5.10
CVSS
5.4Medium
Weakness type
CWE-285 · Improper Authorization
CVE
CVE pending
View all WPML Multilingual CMS vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a medium-severity Improper Authorization vulnerability in the WPML Multilingual CMS WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 4.5.10. It carries a CVSS score of 5.4 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity). The issue is fixed in version 4.5.11; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed September 2022.

Vulnerability Overview

The WPML plugin for WordPress contains several AJAX actions that fail to perform capability checks or nonce checks. These allow authenticated users to set content defaults, update language settings for legacy widgets, and abort translations.

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-285: Improper Authorization

Reaching this weakness in WPML Multilingual CMS <= 4.5.10 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 WPML Multilingual CMS the fix is 4.5.11: builds <= 4.5.10 are affected, anything from 4.5.11 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.5.11, 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 4.5.11 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/eb0b9c2b-c536-4697-be4c-7557ba66c2c4

Related records

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