CVE-2020-36729 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

CVE-2020-36729, assigned by Wordfence, pertains to an authorization bypass vulnerability in the 2J-SlideShow Plugin for WordPress.

Understanding CVE-2020-36729

This CVE identifies a security issue in the 2J-SlideShow Plugin for WordPress that allows authenticated attackers to perform unauthorized actions.

What is CVE-2020-36729?

The vulnerability in the 2J-SlideShow Plugin for WordPress enables attackers with Subscriber or higher access to bypass authorization checks and deactivate plugins on the affected blog.

The Impact of CVE-2020-36729

The vulnerability poses a medium severity risk, with a CVSS base score of 5.4, allowing attackers to perform actions that are typically restricted.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-36729

The following technical details outline the specifics of CVE-2020-36729:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a missing capability check on the 'twoj_slideshow_setup' function called via the wp_ajax_twoj_slideshow_setup AJAX action in versions up to and including 1.3.31.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: 2j-slideshow
Product: Slideshow, Image Slider by 2J
Versions Affected: up to and including 1.3.31

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with at least Subscriber level access can exploit this vulnerability to perform unauthorized actions and deactivate plugins on the WordPress blog.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-36729, consider the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the 2J-SlideShow Plugin to version 1.3.32 or higher.
Monitor plugin activations and deactivations for any unauthorized changes.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update WordPress plugins to the latest versions.
Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict user capabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates for all WordPress plugins to mitigate known vulnerabilities.