Pdf Embedder: A security weakness
Pdf Embedder is affected by a security weakness. Exposure depends on how the affected operation is made reachable by the site. The resulting impact depends on how the affected component exposes the vulnerable operation.
- Component
- Pdf Embedder
- Plugin slug
pdf-embedder- Affected
- See vendor advisory
- Safe version
- See mitigation notes
- Published
- Dec 05, 2019
This CVE was published Dec 05, 2019 and is one of 3 known issues for this plugin.
Update, patch or deactivate.
Update Pdf Embedder 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.
Technical description
The Lever PDF Embedder plugin 4.4 for WordPress does not block the distribution of polyglot PDF documents that are valid JAR archives. Note: It has been argued that "The vulnerability reported in PDF Embedder Plugin is not valid as the plugin itself doesn't control or manage the file upload process. It only serves the uploaded PDF files and the responsibility of uploading PDF file remains with the Site owner of Wordpress installation, the upload of PDF file is managed by Wordpress core and not by PDF Embedder Plugin. Control & block of polyglot file is required to be taken care at the time of upload, not on showing the file. Moreover, the reference mentions retrieving the files from the browser cache and manually renaming it to jar for executing the file. That refers to a two step non-connected steps which has nothing to do with PDF Embedder.
CVE / CNA vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H