CVE-2023-27436 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2023-27436 was published on November 12, 2023, by Patchstack, highlighting a vulnerability in the Elegant Custom Fonts plugin for WordPress.

Understanding CVE-2023-27436

This CVE identifies a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability present in the Elegant Custom Fonts plugin versions up to 1.0.

What is CVE-2023-27436?

The CVE-2023-27436 vulnerability involves a CSRF issue in the Louis Reingold Elegant Custom Fonts plugin, allowing malicious actors to perform unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users.

The Impact of CVE-2023-27436

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as medium severity with a CVSS base score of 5.4. It can lead to Cross Site Request Forgery attacks, potentially compromising the integrity of data and affecting the availability of the system.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-27436

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and how it can be exploited.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in the Elegant Custom Fonts plugin versions up to 1.0 allows attackers to execute CSRF attacks, posing a risk to the security of WordPress websites utilizing this plugin.

Affected Systems and Versions

Louis Reingold's Elegant Custom Fonts plugin versions up to 1.0 are affected by this CSRF vulnerability, potentially impacting WordPress sites that have installed these versions of the plugin.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by tricking an authenticated user into executing malicious actions unintentionally, leading to unauthorized operations within the affected WordPress website.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-27436, immediate steps need to be taken to address the vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update the Elegant Custom Fonts plugin to version 1.0.1 or higher, as recommended by the vendor, Louis Reingold. This update should include patches to address the CSRF vulnerability and enhance the security of the plugin.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long term, website administrators should stay vigilant about plugin updates and security advisories. Regular monitoring for security patches and best practices for securing WordPress installations can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Keeping all software components up to date, including plugins, themes, and the core WordPress installation, is crucial for maintaining the security of websites and protecting against known vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-27436. Regularly checking for updates and promptly applying them can help mitigate risks associated with security flaws.