CVE-2020-8819 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

An issue was discovered in the CardGate Payments plugin through 3.1.15 for WooCommerce, allowing attackers to manipulate critical plugin settings and bypass the payment process.

Understanding CVE-2020-8819

This CVE involves a vulnerability in the CardGate Payments plugin for WooCommerce that enables attackers to alter plugin settings and potentially manipulate the payment process.

What is CVE-2020-8819?

The vulnerability in the CardGate Payments plugin for WooCommerce allows attackers to replace essential plugin settings, such as merchant ID and secret key, leading to potential payment process bypass and unauthorized receipt of subsequent payments.

The Impact of CVE-2020-8819

The exploitation of this vulnerability could result in attackers spoofing order statuses by sending falsified IPN callback requests, potentially leading to financial losses and unauthorized access to payment information.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-8819

This section provides technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The lack of origin authentication in the IPN callback processing function in cardgate/cardgate.php enables attackers to remotely manipulate critical plugin settings, compromising the payment process.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: Up to 3.1.15

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending IPN callback requests with valid signatures but without actual payments, allowing them to alter plugin settings and potentially receive subsequent payments.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-8819 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable or remove the vulnerable CardGate Payments plugin version 3.1.15 for WooCommerce.
Monitor payment transactions for any suspicious activities.
Implement additional authentication mechanisms for payment processing.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update plugins and extensions to patch known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security audits to identify and address potential weaknesses in payment processing systems.

Patching and Updates

Update the CardGate Payments plugin to a secure version that addresses the origin authentication issue.
Stay informed about security updates and patches released by plugin developers.