Missing Authorization in WPXPO WowAddons Product-Addons

Executive Summary

The vulnerability in the WordPress WowAddons Plugin (versions 1.6.8 and below) is a Broken Access Control issue caused by missing authorization checks.

This means that unauthenticated users can perform actions that normally require higher privileges because the plugin does not properly verify if the user is authorized to do so.

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Detection Guidance

This vulnerability affects the WordPress WowAddons Plugin versions 1.6.8 and below due to missing authorization checks allowing broken access control.

To detect if your system is vulnerable, first verify the installed version of the WowAddons plugin.

• Check the plugin version via WordPress admin dashboard under Plugins.
• Alternatively, use WP-CLI command: wp plugin list | grep wowaddons
• Look for suspicious unauthorized actions or access attempts in your web server logs related to the plugin endpoints.

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability can allow attackers without authentication to perform unauthorized actions within the plugin, potentially leading to integrity and availability issues.

• Attackers could manipulate or disrupt plugin functionality.
• It may cause service interruptions or data manipulation.

The CVSS score of 6.5 indicates a moderate severity impact.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability, classified as Broken Access Control, can impact compliance with standards and regulations like GDPR and HIPAA due to its potential to expose sensitive data or allow unauthorized actions.

• GDPR: The vulnerability may lead to unauthorized access to personal data, violating GDPR's requirements for data protection and access control (Articles 5, 25, and 32). Unauthorized actions could result in data breaches, triggering mandatory reporting obligations under Article 33.
• HIPAA: For organizations handling protected health information (PHI), this vulnerability could allow unauthorized users to access or modify PHI, violating the HIPAA Security Rule's requirements for access controls (45 CFR § 164.308(a)(4)) and integrity (45 CFR § 164.312(c)(1)).

The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L) indicates that while confidentiality impact is none, the integrity and availability impacts are low. However, even low impacts can lead to non-compliance if sensitive data is involved.

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Mitigation Strategies

The immediate mitigation step is to update the WowAddons plugin to version 1.6.9 or later, where the broken access control vulnerability is patched.

If updating immediately is not possible, restrict access to the plugin's functionality by limiting permissions or disabling the plugin temporarily.

Consider using Patchstack's auto-update features or consult your hosting provider or developer for assistance in applying the patch.

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