CVE-2023-0693 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE-2023-0693 involves an information disclosure vulnerability in the Metform Elementor Contact Form Builder plugin for WordPress.

Understanding CVE-2023-20657

This vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with subscriber-level capabilities or above to access sensitive information related to transaction IDs in form submissions that included payment.

What is CVE-2023-20657?

CVE-2023-0693 is an information disclosure vulnerability within the 'mf_transaction_id' shortcode of the Metform Elementor Contact Form Builder plugin for WordPress. Attackers authenticated with subscriber-level capabilities or higher can exploit this vulnerability to gather sensitive information about transaction IDs.

The Impact of CVE-2023-20657

The impact of this vulnerability is significant as it could potentially expose critical transaction ID information for form submissions that involve payment processing. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data and compromise the confidentiality of user transactions.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-20657

The following technical details further elaborate on the vulnerability:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows authenticated attackers with specific user roles to retrieve sensitive transaction ID information via the 'mf_transaction_id' shortcode in versions up to and including 3.3.1 of the Metform Elementor Contact Form Builder plugin for WordPress.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected vendor is Xpeedstudio, and the impacted product is the Metform Elementor Contact Form Builder plugin for WordPress with versions up to and including 3.3.1.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by leveraging the 'mf_transaction_id' shortcode in the plugin to access transaction IDs, exposing sensitive information about form submissions that involve payments.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2023-0693, the following steps can be taken:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update the Metform Elementor Contact Form Builder plugin to version 3.3.2 or later, which contains a patch addressing the information disclosure vulnerability.
Monitor user roles and permissions within WordPress to limit access to sensitive data.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly audit and update plugins to ensure they are running the latest secure versions.
Implement proper user access controls and least privilege principles to minimize the impact of vulnerabilities like this in the future.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that the Metform Elementor Contact Form Builder plugin is regularly updated to the latest version to mitigate security risks and stay protected against known vulnerabilities.

By following these mitigation strategies and best security practices, users can enhance the security posture of their WordPress websites and protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.