WP Tools <= 3.41 - Missing Authorization leading to Authenticated (Subscriber+) Authorization Bypass
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 3.43
- Affected Plugin
- WP Tools Debug Log, Repair, Javascript errors, Jquery errors, Increase Maximum Limits, File Permissions, Transients, Error Log
- Affected Version
<= 3.41- CVSS
- 8.8High
- Weakness type
- CWE-862 · Missing Authorization
- CVE
CVE-2022-43453
At a glance
CVE-2022-43453 is a high-severity Missing Authorization vulnerability in the WP Tools Debug Log, Repair, Javascript errors, Jquery errors, Increase Maximum Limits, File Permissions, Transients, Error Log WordPress plugin, affecting versions <= 3.41. It carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires an authenticated account at Subscriber level or above. The issue is fixed in version 3.43; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed November 2022, reported by TomS (Rand0mGen).
Vulnerability Overview
The WP Tools plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Missing Authorization in versions up to, and including, 3.41. This is due to missing capability check resulting in authorization bypass. This makes it possible for subscriber-level attackers to access unspecified user controls granted at a higher authorization-level.
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
Reaching this weakness in WP Tools Debug Log, Repair, Javascript errors, Jquery errors, Increase Maximum Limits, File Permissions, Transients, Error Log <= 3.41 takes an account at Subscriber level or above. 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 WP Tools Debug Log, Repair, Javascript errors, Jquery errors, Increase Maximum Limits, File Permissions, Transients, Error Log the fix is 3.43: builds <= 3.41 are affected, anything from 3.43 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 3.43, 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: WP Tools Debug Log, Repair, Javascript errors, Jquery errors, Increase Maximum Limits, File Permissions, Transients, Error Log 3.43 closes this, and updating the plugin is the step that ends it.
- Login Security
- Alerts
External References
Related records
Same weakness class
Other vulnerabilities in WP Tools Debug Log, Repair, Javascript errors, Jquery errors, Increase Maximum Limits, File Permissions, Transients, Error Log
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