CVE-2023-32513
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2023-32513 is a PHP object injection vulnerability in the GiveWP WordPress plugin that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through deserialization of untrusted data. This affects all WordPress sites running GiveWP version 2.25.3 or earlier. Successful exploitation could lead to complete site compromise.
💻 Affected Systems
- GiveWP - Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform
📦 What is this software?
Givewp by Givewp
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete server compromise, data theft, malware installation, and website defacement.
Likely Case
Unauthenticated attackers gain administrative access to WordPress, allowing them to modify content, install backdoors, or pivot to other systems.
If Mitigated
With proper input validation and security controls, exploitation attempts would be blocked or detected before causing damage.
🎯 Exploit Status
Public exploit details available on Patchstack and security research sites. Attack requires no authentication.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.25.4 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://wordpress.org/plugins/give/#developers
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find GiveWP plugin. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. Alternatively, download latest version from WordPress.org and manually update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable GiveWP Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patching is possible
wp plugin deactivate give
Web Application Firewall Rule
allBlock malicious requests targeting the vulnerable endpoint
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict WAF rules to block deserialization attempts
- Restrict access to WordPress admin interface using IP whitelisting
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin → Plugins → GiveWP version. If version is 2.25.3 or earlier, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin list --name=give --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify GiveWP version is 2.25.4 or later in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST requests to GiveWP endpoints
- PHP deserialization errors in logs
- Unauthorized admin user creation
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests containing serialized PHP objects
- Traffic to GiveWP-specific endpoints from unusual sources
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND ("give" OR "givewp") AND ("unserialize" OR "php_object" OR "admin_user")