Description
The Contest Gallery plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation via account takeover in all versions up to, and including, 24.0.7. This is due to the plugin not properly validating a user's identity prior to updating their password. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to change arbitrary user's passwords, including administrators, and leverage that to gain access to their account.
EPSS Score:
0%
Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2024-34011
1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation
The vulnerability in the Contest Gallery plugin for WordPress, identified as EUVD-2024-34011 (CVE-2024-11103), is a critical privilege escalation issue. The plugin fails to properly validate a user's identity before allowing password updates, which can lead to account takeover. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 24.0.7.
Severity Evaluation:
- CVSS Base Score: 9.8
- CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
The high CVSS score indicates a severe vulnerability due to the following factors:
- Attack Vector (AV:N): The vulnerability can be exploited over the network.
- Attack Complexity (AC:L): The attack requires low complexity.
- Privileges Required (PR:N): No privileges are required to exploit the vulnerability.
- User Interaction (UI:N): No user interaction is required.
- Scope (S:U): The vulnerability does not change the security scope.
- Confidentiality (C:H), Integrity (I:H), Availability (A:H): The vulnerability has a high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods
Attack Vectors:
- Unauthenticated Password Reset: An attacker can exploit the vulnerability by sending a crafted request to the password reset functionality, bypassing the user identity validation.
- Account Takeover: By changing the password of an administrator or any other user, the attacker can gain unauthorized access to the account.
Exploitation Methods:
- Direct Exploitation: An attacker can directly send a malicious HTTP request to the vulnerable endpoint, changing the password of any user, including administrators.
- Automated Scripts: Attackers can use automated scripts to scan for vulnerable installations and exploit them en masse.
3. Affected Systems and Software Versions
Affected Systems:
- WordPress installations using the Contest Gallery plugin.
Affected Software Versions:
- Contest Gallery plugin versions up to and including 24.0.7.
4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies
Immediate Actions:
- Update the Plugin: Upgrade to the latest version of the Contest Gallery plugin (version 24.0.8 or later) which includes the security fix.
- Disable the Plugin: If an update is not immediately possible, disable the plugin to prevent exploitation.
Long-Term Mitigation:
- Regular Updates: Ensure all plugins and WordPress core are regularly updated.
- Access Controls: Implement strict access controls and monitoring for administrative actions.
- Security Plugins: Use security plugins like Wordfence to monitor and protect against such vulnerabilities.
- Backup: Regularly backup the WordPress installation to recover from potential attacks.
5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape
The vulnerability poses a significant risk to the European cybersecurity landscape, particularly for organizations and individuals using the Contest Gallery plugin. The potential for unauthorized access to administrative accounts can lead to data breaches, financial loss, and reputational damage. Given the widespread use of WordPress, this vulnerability could affect a large number of websites across Europe.
6. Technical Details for Security Professionals
Vulnerable Code:
- The vulnerability is located in the password reset functionality of the Contest Gallery plugin. Specifically, the files
users-login-check-ajax-password-reset.phpandusers-login-check-ajax-lost-password.phpare implicated.
Code Analysis:
- Line 88 in
users-login-check-ajax-password-reset.php: This line likely contains the logic for updating the user's password without proper validation. - Line 31 in
users-login-check-ajax-lost-password.php: This line may handle the lost password functionality, which is also vulnerable to unauthenticated password resets.
References:
Conclusion: The EUVD-2024-34011 vulnerability in the Contest Gallery plugin is a critical issue that requires immediate attention. Organizations and individuals using this plugin should update to the latest version to mitigate the risk of account takeover and privilege escalation. Regular monitoring and adherence to best security practices are essential to protect against such vulnerabilities.