EUVD-2024-46560

Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2024-46560

1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation

Vulnerability Description: The Ultimate Store Kit Elementor Addons plugin, versions up to and including 1.6.4, is vulnerable to PHP Object Injection via deserialization of untrusted input through the _ultimate_store_kit_compare_products cookie. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker to inject a PHP Object, potentially leading to severe security implications.

Severity Evaluation: The vulnerability has a CVSS Base Score of 9.8, which is considered critical. The scoring vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H indicates:

• Attack Vector (AV): Network (N)
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L)
• Privileges Required (PR): None (N)
• User Interaction (UI): None (N)
• Scope (S): Unchanged (U)
• Confidentiality (C): High (H)
• Integrity (I): High (H)
• Availability (A): High (H)

This high severity score underscores the potential for significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected systems.

2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods

Attack Vectors:

• Unauthenticated Attack: An attacker can exploit this vulnerability without needing any authentication.
• Deserialization of Untrusted Input: The attacker can manipulate the _ultimate_store_kit_compare_products cookie to inject malicious PHP objects.

Exploitation Methods:

• PHP Object Injection: By injecting a crafted PHP object into the deserialization process, an attacker can manipulate the application's behavior.
• POP Chain Exploitation: Although the vulnerable plugin itself does not contain a Property-Oriented Programming (POP) chain, if another plugin or theme with a POP chain is present, the attacker could leverage it to perform actions such as deleting arbitrary files, retrieving sensitive data, or executing arbitrary code.

3. Affected Systems and Software Versions

Affected Software:

• Ultimate Store Kit Elementor Addons plugin versions up to and including 1.6.4.

Affected Systems:

• Any WordPress installation using the vulnerable versions of the Ultimate Store Kit Elementor Addons plugin.

4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies

Immediate Actions:

• Update the Plugin: Ensure that the Ultimate Store Kit Elementor Addons plugin is updated to a version higher than 1.6.4.
• Disable the Plugin: If an update is not immediately available, consider disabling the plugin until a patched version is released.

Long-Term Mitigations:

• Regular Updates: Implement a regular update schedule for all plugins and themes to ensure they are patched against known vulnerabilities.
• Input Validation: Ensure that all input, including cookies, is properly validated and sanitized.
• Security Plugins: Use security plugins like Wordfence to monitor and protect against such vulnerabilities.
• Code Review: Conduct thorough code reviews and security audits for all plugins and themes before deployment.

5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape

Regulatory Compliance:

• GDPR: This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to personal data, potentially violating GDPR regulations.
• NIS Directive: Organizations in critical sectors must ensure they are compliant with the NIS Directive, which mandates robust cybersecurity measures.

Economic Impact:

• Business Disruption: Exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to significant business disruptions, including data breaches and loss of customer trust.
• Financial Losses: Potential financial losses due to data breaches, legal penalties, and remediation costs.

Reputation:

• Brand Damage: Organizations affected by this vulnerability could suffer reputational damage, impacting customer trust and loyalty.

6. Technical Details for Security Professionals

Vulnerability Details:

• Deserialization Issue: The vulnerability arises from the deserialization of untrusted input via the _ultimate_store_kit_compare_products cookie.
• Code Reference: The issue is located in the helper.php file, specifically around line 1103.

Detection and Monitoring:

• Log Analysis: Monitor logs for unusual activities related to the _ultimate_store_kit_compare_products cookie.
• Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Implement IDS to detect and alert on suspicious activities related to PHP object injection.

Patch Analysis:

• Code Review: Review the patched version of the plugin to ensure the deserialization process is secure.
• Testing: Conduct thorough testing of the patched plugin in a staging environment before deploying it to production.

References:

• Wordfence Threat Intelligence
• WordPress Plugin Repository
• Changeset for the Plugin

By addressing this vulnerability promptly and implementing robust security measures, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with PHP Object Injection and ensure the integrity and security of their WordPress installations.