CVE-2023-51526
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a Missing Authorization vulnerability in the WordPress Simple Staff List plugin that allows unauthorized users to access restricted functionality. It affects all versions up to 2.2.4, potentially exposing sensitive staff information to unauthenticated visitors.
💻 Affected Systems
- WordPress Simple Staff List plugin
⚠️ 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
Unauthenticated attackers could access and modify staff directory data, potentially exposing sensitive employee information or defacing the staff directory.
Likely Case
Unauthorized users viewing staff information that should be restricted, potentially exposing contact details, positions, or other sensitive data.
If Mitigated
With proper authorization controls, only authorized users can access staff management functions, limiting exposure to legitimate administrators.
🎯 Exploit Status
Missing authorization vulnerabilities typically require minimal technical skill to exploit once the attack vector is identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.2.5 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/simple-staff-list/wordpress-simple-staff-list-plugin-2-2-4-broken-access-control-vulnerability
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins
3. Find Simple Staff List and click 'Update Now'
4. Verify update to version 2.2.5 or later
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Plugin
allTemporarily disable the Simple Staff List plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate simple-staff-list
Restrict Access via .htaccess
linuxAdd access restrictions to plugin directories
# Add to .htaccess in wp-content/plugins/simple-staff-list/
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall rules to block unauthorized access to plugin endpoints
- Monitor access logs for unauthorized attempts to access staff list management functions
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel → Plugins → Simple Staff List version. If version is 2.2.4 or earlier, you are vulnerable.Check Version:
wp plugin get simple-staff-list --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify plugin version is 2.2.5 or later in WordPress admin panel and test that only authorized users can access staff management functions.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unauthorized access attempts to /wp-content/plugins/simple-staff-list/ endpoints
- HTTP 200 responses to staff management URLs from unauthenticated IPs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual traffic patterns to plugin-specific endpoints
- Requests to staff management functions without authentication headers
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND (uri="/wp-content/plugins/simple-staff-list/*" OR user_agent="*simple-staff-list*") AND status=200 AND NOT (user="admin" OR user="administrator")🔗 References
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/simple-staff-list/wordpress-simple-staff-list-plugin-2-2-4-broken-access-control-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
- https://patchstack.com/database/vulnerability/simple-staff-list/wordpress-simple-staff-list-plugin-2-2-4-broken-access-control-vulnerability?_s_id=cve
