WP Database Backup <= 4.3.5 - Cross-Site Request Forgery

2016-10-21 00:00
Tristan

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 4.3.6
Affected Plugin
WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP
Affected Version
< 4.3.6
CVSS
8.8High
Weakness type
CWE-352 · Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
CVE
CVE pending
View all WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP vulnerabilities

At a glance

This record tracks a high-severity Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the WP Database Backup WordPress plugin, affecting versions < 4.3.6. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 4.3.6; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed October 2016, reported by Tristan.

Vulnerability Overview

The WP Database Backup plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery in versions up to, and including, 4.3.5. This is due to missing or incorrect nonce validation on the wp_db_backup_admin_init() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to modify backups via a forged request granted they can trick a site administrator into performing an action such as clicking on a link.

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. A successful exploit has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.

CWE-352: Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

WP Database Backup < 4.3.6 carries this weakness at wp_db_backup_admin_init(), and reaching it takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Cross-site request forgery abuses the fact that browsers attach a victim's cookies to any request, so a state-changing action that only checks who you are, not whether you meant to act, can be triggered from another site.

An attacker who gets a logged-in user to load a crafted page can perform that action as them, with the impact scaling to whatever the victim's role is allowed to do. For WP Database Backup the fix is 4.3.6: builds < 4.3.6 are affected, anything from 4.3.6 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 4.3.6, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to WP Database Backup: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: WP Database Backup 4.3.6 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/76f9d37e-1339-4267-aaf6-38a591e97fa2

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