CVE-2019-9879 Scanner

The WPGraphQL plugin, primarily used for integrating GraphQL API functionality into WordPress sites, is a tool utilized by developers and website administrators aiming to provide more versatile ways to manage and retrieve WordPress content. It's praised for allowing developers to tailor the API to their needs while maintaining WordPress compatibility. As such, many sites handling significant amounts of data utilize WPGraphQL to enhance performance and user interaction by utilizing the capabilities of GraphQL. Due to its deep integration capabilities, WPGraphQL is typically employed by medium to large-scale websites in various industries that require comprehensive data manipulation and retrieval across the WordPress platform. It can be a vital component for those seeking efficient content management and delivery within WordPress-hosted environments. Moreover, it supports building dynamic and rich web applications by providing a flexible API structure.

The vulnerability found in WPGraphQL version 0.2.3 is a significant security concern as it allows remote attackers to create a new user with administrative privileges. This occurs via the registerUser mutation in the plugin, exploiting an insufficient authorization check mechanism. When new user registrations are enabled on the site, attackers can directly send requests to register a user with elevated permissions without proper authorization checks. This is classified as a critical vulnerability due to its potential impacts and ease of exploitation. Given that administrators have complete control over the content and settings of a WordPress website, such unauthorized access can lead to severe disruptions. Prompt updates and mitigation strategies are necessary to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability, especially on sites heavily dependent on the WPGraphQL plugin.

Technically, the vulnerability leverages the registerUser mutation, allowing attackers to supply input parameters that include user email, password, and role designation. Specifically, the 'roles' parameter in the mutation request is exploited to assign 'administrator' privileges to the newly registered user account. The operation is executed over a straightforward HTTP POST request, often requiring minimal technical prowess to deploy effectively. Vulnerable sites running the specific version are susceptible to this due to lack of adequate validation mechanisms in place to confirm the legitimacy of the mutation requests. The request headers need to specify 'application/json', indicating JSON data usage, which communicates directly with WPGraphQL's API respecting the format. Consequently, this bypass lets destructive user account registrations reshape the site administration task framework, undermining its operational security substantially.

When exploited, this vulnerability can have dire effects on the targeted website. Malicious actors, having gained administrative access, can manipulate or delete content, install malicious plugins, change critical site settings, and possibly damage the website's reputation. Additionally, this unauthorized access can lead to data breaches, exposing sensitive user and operational data. Furthermore, attackers can introduce backdoors, allowing future unsanctioned access even after the immediate security threat is mitigated. The ramifications could extend to potential legal liabilities if personal user data is compromised or data regulations are violated. As such, this vulnerability, if exploited, can severely disrupt business operations, harm customer trust, and require extensive effort and resources to remediate and secure the affected systems.

REFERENCES

• https://github.com/wp-graphql/wp-graphql/releases/tag/v0.3.0
• https://github.com/pentestpartners/snippets/blob/master/wp-graphql0.2.3_exploit.py
• https://wpscan.com/vulnerability/2d451c89-91ce-4151-b3fb-56af15869644/
• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-9879