CVE-2019-25142 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

CVE-2019-25142 is a security vulnerability found in the Mesmerize and Materialis themes for WordPress, affecting versions up to 1.6.89 and 1.0.172, respectively. The vulnerability allows authenticated attackers to modify restricted options.

Understanding CVE-2019-25142

What is CVE-2019-25142?

Versions of the Mesmerize and Materialis themes for WordPress up to, and including, 1.6.89 (Mesmerize) and 1.0.172 (Materialis) have a security vulnerability related to authenticated options change. The flaw enables attackers to modify restricted options.

The Impact of CVE-2019-25142

The vulnerability, categorized as CWE-862 Missing Authorization, has a CVSSv3.1 base score of 8.8 (High), posing a significant risk to affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-25142

Vulnerability Description

The issue lies in the 'companion_disable_popup' function, which lacks proper verification, allowing authenticated attackers to modify restricted options.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: extendthemes
Affected Products: Mesmerize, Materialis
Vulnerable Versions: up to 1.6.89 (Mesmerize), up to 1.0.172 (Materialis)

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by leveraging the 'companion_disable_popup' function to modify options that are typically restricted.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the affected themes to the latest versions immediately.
Monitor for any unauthorized changes to theme options.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly audit and review theme code for vulnerabilities.
Implement least privilege access controls to restrict unauthorized modifications.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by the theme vendor to address the vulnerability.