CVE-2021-24167

Web-Stat <= 1.4.0 - API Key Disclosure

2021-02-23 00:00

Strategic Overview

Status: Patched in 1.4.1
Affected Plugin: Web-Stat
Affected Version: <= 1.4.0
CVSS: 7.5High
Weakness type: CWE-200 · Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
CVE: CVE-2021-24167

At a glance

CVE-2021-24167 is a high-severity Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerability in the Web-Stat WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.4.0. It carries a CVSS score of 7.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 1.4.1; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed February 2021, reported by Ram.

Vulnerability Overview

When visiting a site running Web-Stat < 1.4.1, the "wts_web_stat_load_init" function used the visitor’s browser to send an XMLHttpRequest request to https://wts2.one/ajax.htm?action=lookup_WP_account. Issue was partially fixed in 1.4.0, (logged in users still able to see the key) and fully fixed in 1.4.1.

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-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor

Web-Stat <= 1.4.0 carries this weakness at wts_web_stat_load_init, and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Sensitive information exposure means data the application intended to keep internal is returned to a caller who should not be able to see it.

The disclosed data — credentials, tokens, customer records or internal paths — is usually worth more as material for a follow-up attack than as an end in itself. For Web-Stat the fix is 1.4.1: builds <= 1.4.0 are affected, anything from 1.4.1 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.4.1, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The fix is the thing that ends this: Web-Stat 1.4.1 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-24167 https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/83e396c3-e843-4337-bf90-894d9d7de2a8 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-24167

CVSS Vector

7.5

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Base

Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges RequiredNone
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone

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