CVE-2023-23729
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows users with Contributor-level access in WordPress to modify reCAPTCHA settings in the Spectra plugin, which should be restricted to Administrators only. It affects all WordPress sites using Spectra (Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg) versions up to 2.3.0. The issue stems from missing authorization checks on certain administrative functions.
💻 Affected Systems
- Brainstorm Force Spectra (Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg)
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
A compromised contributor account could disable reCAPTCHA protection, enabling spam or automated attacks on forms protected by Spectra blocks, potentially leading to data exfiltration or service disruption.
Likely Case
A malicious contributor could disable reCAPTCHA on contact forms or other protected elements, allowing spam submissions or automated form abuse.
If Mitigated
With proper role-based access controls and monitoring, impact is limited to potential spam increase on affected forms.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires Contributor-level access. The vulnerability is straightforward to exploit once an attacker has contributor credentials.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.3.1 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/6c5c8a9c-8e6e-4b6a-8e3a-8e8a8e8a8e8a
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Spectra' or 'Ultimate Addons for Gutenberg'. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available, or download latest version from WordPress repository. 5. Activate updated plugin.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Temporary Role Restriction
allTemporarily remove Contributor access or limit Contributor roles until patch can be applied.
Plugin Deactivation
linuxDeactivate Spectra plugin if not critically needed until patch is available.
wp plugin deactivate ultimate-addons-for-gutenberg
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict monitoring of user role changes and plugin setting modifications
- Apply network-level protections for forms that might be affected by disabled reCAPTCHA
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin > Plugins > Installed Plugins for Spectra version. If version is 2.3.0 or lower, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get ultimate-addons-for-gutenberg --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Spectra plugin version is 2.3.1 or higher in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unauthorized attempts to modify Spectra settings
- Changes to reCAPTCHA configuration by non-admin users
- User role escalation attempts
Network Indicators:
- Increased spam traffic to forms previously protected by reCAPTCHA
- Unusual form submission patterns
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress" AND (event="plugin_settings_change" OR event="user_capability_change") AND plugin="ultimate-addons-for-gutenberg"