Epsilon Framework Themes (Various Versions) - Function Injection
Strategic Overview
- Status
- Patched in 1.4.2
- Affected Theme
- Activello
- Affected Version
<= 1.4.0- CVSS
- 9.8Critical
- Weakness type
- CWE-94 · Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
- CVE
CVE-2020-36708
At a glance
CVE-2020-36708 is a critical-severity Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') vulnerability in the Activello WordPress theme, affecting versions <= 1.4.0. It carries a CVSS score of 9.8 (reachable over the network; low attack complexity; high confidentiality, integrity, availability impact). Exploitation requires no authentication. The issue is fixed in version 1.4.2; sites on affected versions should update now. Disclosed October 2020, reported by Jerome Bruandet.
Vulnerability Overview
The following themes for WordPress are vulnerable to Function Injections in versions up to and including Shapely <= 1.2.7, NewsMag <= 2.4.1, Activello <= 1.4.0, Illdy <= 2.1.4, Allegiant <= 1.2.2, Newspaper X <= 1.3.1, Pixova Lite <= 2.0.5, Brilliance <= 1.2.7, MedZone Lite <= 1.2.4, Regina Lite <= 2.0.4, Transcend <= 1.1.8, Affluent <= 1.1.0, Bonkers <= 1.0.4, Antreas <= 1.0.2, Sparkling <= 2.4.8, and NatureMag Lite <= 1.0.4. This is due to epsilon_framework_ajax_action. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to call functions and achieve remote code execution.
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, integrity, availability — full site compromise territory.
CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
Reaching this weakness in Activello <= 1.4.0 takes a caller who can reach the endpoint. Code injection means input from a request reaches a language construct that evaluates code, so the attacker's text is executed rather than treated as data.
The injected code runs with the web server's privileges, giving the attacker the same access to the database and filesystem as WordPress itself. For Activello the fix is 1.4.2: builds <= 1.4.0 are affected, anything from 1.4.2 onward is not.
Remediation
Update to version 1.4.2, or a newer patched version
How does WordSec protect against this?
The attempt arrives as an ordinary request to Activello: WordSec's web application firewall inspects request payloads before WordPress loads them. Classes like this one can leave something behind, so the staged malware scanner is the second half: it looks for dropped files and modified code rather than for the request that created them. None of that substitutes for the fix: Activello 1.4.2 closes this, and updating the theme is the step that ends it.
- Firewall
- Scanner
- Alerts
External References
Related records
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