UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin <= 1.9.50 - Nonce Leak to Authorization Bypass

2015-02-03 00:00
Marc-Alexandre Montpas

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.9.51
Affected Plugin
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin
Affected Version
< 1.9.51
CVSS
9.9Critical
Weakness type
CWE-269 · Improper Privilege Management
CVE
CVE pending
View all UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a critical-severity Improper Privilege Management vulnerability in the UpdraftPlus WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 1.9.51. It carries a CVSS score of 9.9 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). The issue is fixed in version 1.9.51; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed February 2015, reported by Marc-Alexandre Montpas.

Vulnerability Overview

The UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to nonce leak which leads to authorization bypass in versions up to, and including, 1.9.50. This is due to incorrect use of several 'admin_action_' hooks. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers to arbitrarily upload files, download backups and retrieve secret keys.

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-269: Improper Privilege Management

UpdraftPlus < 1.9.51 carries this weakness at admin_action_, and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Improper privilege management means the code lets an account end up with capabilities its role should not have.

It converts a low-privileged account into an administrative one, which makes every other restriction on the site irrelevant. For UpdraftPlus the fix is 1.9.51: builds < 1.9.51 are affected, anything from 1.9.51 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.9.51, 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: UpdraftPlus 1.9.51 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/c75bfba9-b25a-4966-835c-8d22736de809

Related records

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