the wp_ajax_update_plugin function in wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php in WordPress before 4.6: Cross-site request forgery

the wp_ajax_update_plugin function in wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php in WordPress before 4.6 is affected by cross-site request forgery. Exposure depends on how the affected operation is made reachable by the site. Exploitation relies on a signed-in privileged user submitting an attacker-controlled request.

CVE / CNA score 6.5 CVSS · cve@mitre.org

NVD score 6.5 CVSS 3.0 · nvd@nist.gov

Component: the wp_ajax_update_plugin function in wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php in WordPress before 4.6
Plugin slug: Not applicable
Affected: See vendor advisory
Safe version: See mitigation notes
Published: Jan 18, 2017
Weakness: CWE-352 — Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

What to do

Update, patch or deactivate.

Update the wp_ajax_update_plugin function in wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php in WordPress before 4.6 to a release outside the affected range, or disable and remove it until a fixed version is available.

No confirmed safe version is listed. Consider a vendor-supported patch or temporarily restricting the affected functionality while you assess the risk.

Deactivate only when warranted by your risk profile, or when advised by your hosting provider in the limited circumstances where the vulnerability cannot otherwise be mitigated. If you’re unsure which action is appropriate, contact Fused or your hosting provider for guidance.

Source record

Technical description

Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the wp_ajax_update_plugin function in wp-admin/includes/ajax-actions.php in WordPress before 4.6 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of subscribers for /dev/random read operations by leveraging a late call to the check_ajax_referer function, a related issue to CVE-2016-6896.

NVD vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

References

Update, patch or deactivate.

Technical description

Primary and upstream sources