CVE-2021-4360 : What You Need to Know
Discover how CVE-2021-4360 poses a critical privilege escalation risk in the Controlled Admin Access WordPress plugin. Learn about impact, technical details, and mitigation steps.
A critical privilege escalation vulnerability has been discovered in the Controlled Admin Access plugin for WordPress, allowing attackers to create a new administrator role with unrestricted access.
Understanding CVE-2021-4360
This section provides detailed insights into the CVE-2021-4360 vulnerability.
What is CVE-2021-4360?
The Controlled Admin Access plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Privilege Escalation in versions up to, and including, 1.5.5 by not properly restricting access to the configuration page. This flaw enables attackers to exploit the plugin.
The Impact of CVE-2021-4360
The impact of this vulnerability is critical as attackers can exploit it to create a new admin role with unrestricted access, compromising the security of WordPress installations.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-4360
This section delves into the technical aspects of CVE-2021-4360.
Vulnerability Description
CVE-2021-4360 is classified as CWE-284: Improper Access Control, with a CVSS base score of 9.9, indicating a critical severity level. The vulnerability allows attackers to escalate privileges by bypassing access restrictions.
Affected Systems and Versions
The vulnerability affects the Controlled Admin Access plugin for WordPress versions up to and including 1.5.5.
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by gaining unauthorized access to the configuration page, enabling them to create a new administrator role with elevated permissions.
Mitigation and Prevention
This section outlines the necessary steps to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2021-4360 vulnerability.
Immediate Steps to Take
WordPress site administrators should immediately update the Controlled Admin Access plugin to version 1.5.6 or newer to eliminate the privilege escalation risk.
Long-Term Security Practices
It is recommended to regularly update plugins, themes, and the WordPress core to ensure overall security posture and prevent potential vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Stay informed about security patches and updates related to plugins and themes to promptly address new security vulnerabilities.