CVE-2024-8082
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in the Widgets Reset WordPress plugin allows attackers to trick logged-in administrators into changing plugin settings without their consent via Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF). Attackers can craft malicious requests that execute when an admin visits a compromised page. Only WordPress sites using the vulnerable Widgets Reset plugin are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Widgets Reset WordPress Plugin
📦 What is this software?
Widgets Reset by Justintadlock
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could reset all widget settings, modify site layout, inject malicious content, or disrupt site functionality by changing plugin configurations.
Likely Case
Attackers could change widget settings to display malicious content, redirect users, or degrade site usability through unauthorized configuration changes.
If Mitigated
With proper CSRF protections, no unauthorized changes can be made to plugin settings even if an admin visits a malicious page.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires social engineering to trick an admin into visiting a malicious page. CSRF attacks are well-understood and easy to implement.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Version after 0.1 (check plugin repository for latest)
Vendor Advisory: https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/47b2cd60-9ac4-49cf-8ca9-7d90656fc397/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins. 3. Find 'Widgets Reset' plugin. 4. Click 'Update Now' if available. 5. If no update available, deactivate and delete the plugin.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Deactivate Plugin
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable plugin until patched
wp plugin deactivate widgets-reset
Implement CSRF Protection
allAdd custom CSRF tokens to plugin settings pages via custom code
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Remove plugin entirely and use alternative widget management solutions
- Implement strict access controls and monitor admin user activities for suspicious settings changes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin → Plugins → Installed Plugins for Widgets Reset version 0.1 or earlierCheck Version:
wp plugin get widgets-reset --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify plugin version is higher than 0.1 or plugin is removed. Test settings page for CSRF tokens in form submissions.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected POST requests to /wp-admin/admin.php?page=widgets-reset
- Sudden changes to widget settings without admin action logs
Network Indicators:
- HTTP requests to plugin settings endpoints with missing or predictable nonce parameters
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress" AND (uri_path="/wp-admin/admin.php" AND query_string="page=widgets-reset") AND http_method="POST"