CVE-2019-17230 Scanner

WordPress OneTone theme is a popular theme used by many websites built on the WordPress platform. It is designed to provide a seamless and user-friendly interface for both site administrators and visitors, facilitating the management and viewing of website content. This theme is particularly utilized by small to medium-sized businesses aiming to create professional online presences without extensive technical know-how. The theme's flexibility and customization options make it suitable for a wide range of website types, from blogs to ecommerce platforms. Users of the WordPress OneTone theme expect a secure and reliable environment due to its integration with the highly-used WordPress CMS. Keeping the theme updated and secure is critical for maintaining site integrity and safeguarding user data.

The Unauthenticated Options Changes vulnerability in the WordPress OneTone theme allows unauthorized users to alter the theme options without authenticating themselves to the WordPress site. This vulnerability arises from insufficient access control checks within the theme's functionality, which processes incoming requests to change site settings. It compromises the integrity of website settings, potentially leading to unauthorized modifications that alter the look or functionality of the site. The attack does not require user authentication, making it easier for attackers to exploit the vulnerability covertly. This vulnerability is especially concerning due to its potential to be combined with other vulnerabilities, such as XSS or injection attacks, to inflict further damage.

The vulnerability stems from the 'onetone_options_import' action within the theme, which can be accessed anonymously through a POST request to the '/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php' endpoint. By crafting a request with this action, attackers can introduce arbitrary data into the options of the WordPress site. This manipulation is facilitated by modifying the 'content_404' parameter, which, when successful, returns a '200 OK' status code and includes the message "Import successful." The ease of exploiting this vulnerability means attackers can rapidly spread malicious configurations across multiple sites using this theme. Monitoring for unusual HTTP requests and responses is crucial for detecting such exploitation attempts.

If exploited, this vulnerability could result in unauthorized changes to site options, potentially leading to a range of adverse effects, such as defacement of web pages, disruption of site functionality, or exposure of sensitive site information. Attackers could leverage altered settings to redirect users to malicious sites or to create backdoors for future unauthorized access. Consequently, the site's reputation might be damaged, leaving users less likely to trust or visit the site. In some cases, this vulnerability could result in complete site takeover if combined with vulnerabilities that allow further escalations.

REFERENCES

• https://blog.sucuri.net/2020/04/onetone-vulnerability-leads-to-javascript-cookie-hijacking.html
• https://blog.nintechnet.com/unauthenticated-stored-xss-vulnerability-in-wordpress-onetone-theme-unpatched/
• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-17230