CVE-2023-4213
📋 TL;DR
The Simplr Registration Form Plus+ WordPress plugin has an insecure direct object reference vulnerability that allows authenticated users with subscriber-level permissions or higher to change other users' passwords. This could lead to account takeover, including administrator accounts. WordPress sites using vulnerable plugin versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Simplr Registration Form Plus+ WordPress Plugin
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers gain administrative access, potentially compromising the entire WordPress site, installing malware, stealing data, or defacing the website.
Likely Case
Attackers take over user accounts, potentially accessing sensitive information, posting unauthorized content, or escalating privileges.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, unauthorized password changes would be detected and prevented before significant damage occurs.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but only subscriber-level permissions, which are easy to obtain through registration.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version 2.4.6 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simplr-registration-form/trunk/lib/profile.php#L148
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Simplr Registration Form Plus+' and click 'Update Now'. 4. Verify update to version 2.4.6 or later.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable plugin
allTemporarily disable the Simplr Registration Form Plus+ plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate simplr-registration-form
Restrict user registration
allDisable new user registration to prevent attackers from obtaining subscriber accounts
wp option update users_can_register 0
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall rules to block suspicious password change requests
- Enable detailed logging of user profile modifications and monitor for unauthorized changes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel > Plugins > Installed Plugins for Simplr Registration Form Plus+ version 2.4.5 or earlierCheck Version:
wp plugin get simplr-registration-form --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify plugin version is 2.4.6 or later in WordPress admin panel📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple password reset attempts for different users from same account
- User role changes or privilege escalations
Network Indicators:
- POST requests to profile.php with user_id parameter modifications
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress" AND (event="password_change" OR event="profile_update") AND user_id!=current_user_id🔗 References
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simplr-registration-form/trunk/lib/profile.php#L148
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/6ddf0452-3afe-4ada-bccc-30c818968a81?source=cve
- https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/simplr-registration-form/trunk/lib/profile.php#L148
- https://www.wordfence.com/threat-intel/vulnerabilities/id/6ddf0452-3afe-4ada-bccc-30c818968a81?source=cve
