UpdraftPlus 1.22.14 to 1.23.2 and UpdraftPlus (Premium) 2.22.14 to 2.23.2 - Privilege Escalation via updraft_central_ajax_handler

2023-03-16 00:00
Anonymous

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.23.3
Affected Plugin
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin
Affected Version
1.22.14 – 2.23.2 · 2 branches
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
CVE
CVE pending
View all UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a high-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the UpdraftPlus WordPress plugin, affecting versions 1.22.14 – 2.23.2 · 2 branches. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). The issue is fixed in version 1.23.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed March 2023.

Vulnerability Overview

The UpdraftPlus plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation due to missing authorization on the 'updraft_central_ajax_handler' function in versions from 1.22.14 to 1.23.2 inclusive, and 2.22.14 to 2.23.2 of the premium version. This allows authenticated attackers, with subscriber-level permissions or above, to update the plugin's settings in such a way that can allow them to perform administrator-level actions on some sites.

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, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-862: Missing Authorization

UpdraftPlus 1.22.14 – 2.23.2 · 2 branches carries this weakness at updraft_central_ajax_handler, and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. A missing authorization check means a function is reachable by anyone who can reach the endpoint, because the code never asks whether the caller is allowed to perform the action.

Any user who can reach the endpoint gets to run an action reserved for higher-privileged roles, from reading protected data to changing settings or content. For UpdraftPlus the fix is 1.23.3: builds 1.22.14 – 2.23.2 · 2 branches are affected, anything from 1.23.3 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to one of the following versions, or a newer patched version: 1.23.3, 2.23.3

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: UpdraftPlus 1.23.3 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/2e329432-c404-4312-969b-42cac345637d

Related records

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