WordPress Plugin WP Statistics Scanner

WordPress Plugin WP Statistics is a comprehensive monitoring tool used by webmasters and developers to track visitor statistics and performance metrics on their WordPress-powered sites. It is a popular service integrated within WordPress sites to enhance user analysis and site auditing capabilities. The plugin is widely adopted due to its easy setup and ability to generate detailed reports without external service dependencies. By collecting extensive data about website interactions, users can better tailor their marketing efforts and content strategy. This tool is predominantly used by small to medium business owners, digital marketers, and IT professionals looking for basic yet efficient analytics solutions. Its extensive report generation capability supports continuous growth and adaptability of websites.

Log exposure occurs when log files containing sensitive information are improperly secured and become accessible to unauthorized individuals. In this instance, the vulnerability is found in the WP Statistics plugin for WordPress where error logs may inadvertently be exposed due to misconfigured file permissions or inadequate security measures. This exposure could allow unauthorized users to glean internal information from error messages, including troubleshooting data and potentially sensitive database error specifics. The information obtained could be leveraged by malicious actors to plan and execute further attacks on the website. Such vulnerabilities can undermine user data privacy and web application integrity, highlighting a need for stringent log file handling and access control.

In this scenario, the vulnerability stems from the availability of a debug log file at a predictable location (such as '/wp-content/uploads/wp-statistics/debug.log'). The endpoint where this log file is stored may be publicly accessible if proper security measures are not enforced. This log file potentially contains error messages detailing WordPress database errors, which may include sensitive information like IP addresses and queries leading to the error. The exposure is typically identified through HTTP requests checking for a status code of 200 and presence of certain error-specific strings in the response body.

When log exposure vulnerabilities such as this are exploited, they can lead to significant security issues. Unauthorized access to error logs could result in attackers obtaining sensitive data or understanding the site's database structure, which can then invite SQL injection attempts or phishing exploits. Additionally, an exposed log could allow attackers to deduce the underlying server stack or software versions in use, further increasing the risk of targeted attacks. Long exposure duration could lead to prolonged security risks and can cause reputational damage if user data is compromised.

REFERENCES

• https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-statistics/