Overview
The CVE-2015-10144 vulnerability pertains to the popular WordPress plugin, Responsive Thumbnail Slider. This plugin, widely used for enhancing website aesthetics, has a significant flaw. It allows for unauthorized file uploads due to an absence of file type sanitization, specifically in versions up to 1.0.1.
The implications of this vulnerability are serious and far-reaching. Any authenticated attacker with subscriber-level access or above can potentially exploit this flaw. This can result in system compromise or data leakage, leading to serious repercussions for the affected organization.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2015-10144
Severity: High – CVSS 8.8
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low (Subscriber-level access or above)
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Responsive Thumbnail Slider Plugin for WordPress | Up to 1.0.1
How the Exploit Works
An authenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability by uploading a malicious file with a double extension via the image uploader feature. The plugin does not perform proper file type sanitization, allowing the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the server. The executed code can then lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data or even full control over the affected system.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual example of a malicious HTTP request that an attacker might use to exploit this vulnerability:
POST /wp-content/plugins/responsive-thumbnail-slider/upload.php HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: multipart/form-data; boundary=----WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW
------WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="imagefile"; filename="malicious.php.jpg"
Content-Type: image/jpeg
{ "malicious_payload": "..." }
------WebKitFormBoundary7MA4YWxkTrZu0gW--In this example, an attacker uploads a file with a double extension, bypassing the plugin’s file type checks and executing the malicious payload on the server.
All WordPress websites using the affected versions of the Responsive Thumbnail Slider plugin should immediately apply the vendor patch to rectify this issue. Alternatively, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation.