CVE-2023-5672

WP Mail Log <= 1.1.2 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Arbitrary File Read

2023-11-28 00:00
dc11

Strategic Overview

Status
Patched in 1.1.3
Affected Plugin
WP Mail Log
Affected Version
<= 1.1.2
CVSS
6.5Medium
Weakness type
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
CVE
CVE-2023-5672
View all WP Mail Log vulnerabilities

At a glance

CVE-2023-5672 is a medium-severity Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') vulnerability in the WP Mail Log WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 1.1.2. It carries a CVSS score of 6.5 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Contributor level or above. The issue is fixed in version 1.1.3; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2023, reported by dc11.

Vulnerability Overview

The WP Mail Log plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Arbitrary File Read in all versions up to, and including, 1.1.2 via the includeAttachment parameter. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to include and read arbitrary files on the server.

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.

CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')

Reaching this weakness in WP Mail Log <= 1.1.2 takes an account at Contributor level or above. Path traversal happens when user-controlled text is used to build a filesystem path without being constrained to an intended directory, so sequences like ../ walk the resolved path somewhere else.

Depending on the operation, it means reading files outside the intended folder — wp-config.php being the usual target — or writing to and deleting paths the web server can touch. For WP Mail Log the fix is 1.1.3: builds <= 1.1.2 are affected, anything from 1.1.3 onward is not.

Remediation

Update to version 1.1.3, or a newer patched version

How does WordSec protect against this?

An attacker needs Contributor access first, so the firewall sees the attempt as traffic from a logged-in account: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. None of that substitutes for the fix: WP Mail Log 1.1.3 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.

  • Firewall
  • Alerts

External References

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5672https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/a3d14d8f-61f4-4942-9eff-42264bb036bbhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5672

Related records

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