AdForest: Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password
CVE-2024-11350 is a critical-severity weak password recovery mechanism for forgotten password vulnerability in AdForest from Scriptsbundle, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected AdForest versions: 5.1.6 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.72% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 54% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of AdForest you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scriptsbundle | AdForest | 5.1.6 and earlier | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (wordfence.com).
Official description
The AdForest theme for WordPress is vulnerable to privilege escalation via account takeover in all versions up to, and including, 5.1.6. This is due to the plugin not properly validating a user's identity prior to updating their password through the adforest_reset_password() function. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to change arbitrary user's passwords, including administrators, and leverage that to gain access to their account.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password
The product contains a mechanism for users to recover or change their passwords without knowing the original password, but the mechanism is weak.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Make sure that all input supplied by the user to the password recovery mechanism is thoroughly filtered and validated.
- Do not use standard weak security questions and use several security questions.
- Make sure that there is throttling on the number of incorrect answers to a security question. Disable the password recovery functionality after a certain (small) number of incorrect guesses.
More Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password vulnerabilities (CWE-640)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in AdForest
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password vulnerabilities
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
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