Wordpress Unauthenticated Access Scanner

WordPress is a highly popular content management system (CMS) utilized across the globe for setting up and managing websites. It is renowned for its user-friendly interface, which enables both novice and experienced users to effortlessly create and maintain their digital presence. Predominantly used by bloggers, businesses, and individuals seeking to establish an online presence, WordPress offers an extensive ecosystem of plugins and themes. Its versatility covers numerous applications, from personal blogs to large-scale e-commerce sites, offering countless customization options. The platform's vast library of extensions provides users the ability to enhance site functionality and aesthetics with minimal technical overhead.

Username Enumeration is a type of vulnerability that occurs when an attacker can discover valid usernames on a system through testing various input or inspection workarounds. This vulnerability is particularly concerning since it can empower a brute force attack, increasing an attacker's efficiency in guessing passwords. By refining the attack vector to valid usernames only, malicious actors considerably cut down their efforts. Systems vulnerable to username enumeration do not adequately handle authentication error feedback, inadvertently exposing this information. Websites and applications should avoid revealing such insights to ensure they are not susceptible to such probing.

The vulnerability potentially lies in the communication method utilized by the WordPress XML-RPC feature, specifically the xmlrpc.php file. This endpoint can be targeted with crafted payloads that attempt to authenticate using different username-password combinations. The endpoint functionalities such as ‘wp.getUsersBlogs’ may inadvertently return sufficient disparate responses to imply the validity of a username-password pair. The vulnerable parameters include ‘username’ and ‘password’, which, when incorrectly handled, expose site security.

Exploiting this vulnerability could lead to substantial security issues, including unauthorized access and control over WordPress installations. This access can allow attackers to modify content, exfiltrate data, and perform actions as an authenticated user. Once the malicious entity obtains credentials successfully, they could execute further attacks internally or leverage the platform to distribute malware. It could also lead to reputational damage or financial loss for the site administrators or owners, particularly if sensitive data stored within the site is accessed or exposed.

REFERENCES

• https://bugdasht.ir/reports/3c6841c0-ae4c-11eb-a510-517171a9198c
• https://www.acunetix.com/vulnerabilities/web/wordpress-xml-rpc-authentication-brute-force/