CVE-2023-52202: PHP Object Injection Vulnerability in HTML5 MP3 Player with Folder Feedburner Playlist Free

Vulnerability Summary

• CVE ID: CVE-2023-52202​

• Severity: High (CVSS 3.1 Score: 9.1)​

• Attack Vector: Network​

• Privileges Required: None​

• User Interaction: None​

• Impact: Remote Code Execution (RCE)​

Affected Products

The vulnerability affects the following product:​

How the Exploit Works

CVE-2023-52202 is a PHP Object Injection vulnerability in the HTML5 MP3 Player with Folder Feedburner Playlist Free plugin. The vulnerability arises due to unsafe deserialization of user-supplied input, allowing attackers to inject malicious PHP objects. This can lead to arbitrary code execution on the server, potentially compromising the entire system.​

Conceptual Example Code

An attacker might exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted HTTP request containing a serialized PHP object designed to execute arbitrary code upon deserialization. For example:​

In this example, the serialized object O:8:"Exploit":0:{} is sent to the server, which, if vulnerable, would deserialize it without proper validation, leading to code execution.​

Potential Risks

• Execution of arbitrary PHP code on the server​

• Unauthorized access to sensitive data​

• Full compromise of the WordPress site​

• Potential lateral movement within the hosting environment​

Mitigation Recommendations

• Update the Plugin: If an update is available that addresses this vulnerability, apply it immediately.​

• Remove the Plugin: If the plugin is no longer maintained or an update is unavailable, consider removing it from your site.​

• Implement Web Application Firewalls (WAF): Use a WAF to detect and block malicious payloads targeting deserialization vulnerabilities.​

• Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in your WordPress installation.​

Conclusion

CVE-2023-52202 is a critical vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code through unsafe deserialization in the HTML5 MP3 Player with Folder Feedburner Playlist Free plugin. Immediate action is required to mitigate this risk, either by updating or removing the vulnerable plugin and implementing additional security measures.​

References

• NVD – CVE-2023-52202

• Patchstack Advisory

• Tenable CVE-2023-52202 CPEs