CVE-2021-24945 : What You Need to Know

WordPress plugin Like Button Rating < 2.6.38 is vulnerable to unauthorised vote export, allowing any authenticated user to access email and IP addresses.

Understanding CVE-2021-24945

This vulnerability in the Like Button Rating plugin can lead to severe information exposure.

What is CVE-2021-24945?

The Like Button Rating plugin before version 2.6.38 lacks proper authorization and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) checks in the likebtn_export_votes AJAX action, enabling any logged-in user to retrieve email and IP addresses of those who liked the blog content.

The Impact of CVE-2021-24945

Unauthorized users, even with low-level access like subscribers, can exploit this vulnerability to acquire sensitive information, potentially leading to privacy breaches and targeted attacks.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-24945

This section dives into the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises from the absence of authentication and CSRF protection in the likebtn_export_votes AJAX action, allowing any authenticated user to fetch email and IP details of blog content likers.

Affected Systems and Versions

Like Button Rating plugin versions prior to 2.6.38 are affected by this vulnerability, exposing them to potential information leakage.

Exploitation Mechanism

By leveraging the lack of authorization and CSRF safeguards in the plugin, malicious users can exploit the likebtn_export_votes action to extract sensitive data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems and data by following these steps.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Like Button Rating plugin to version 2.6.38 or newer immediately.
Monitor user activity and privileged access to prevent unauthorized information retrieval.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly audit and review WordPress plugins for security flaws.
Educate users on best practices for online security to minimize risks.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security patches and updates for WordPress plugins, ensuring timely application to reduce the risk of exploitation.