CVE-2023-2288
Published: 30 May 2023
Summary
CVE-2023-2288 is a high-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Themeisle Otter. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 9.8% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
Deeper analysis
The Otter WordPress plugin before version 2.2.6 contains an unsanitized user-controlled file path flaw that enables PHAR deserialization when the phar:// stream wrapper is used on PHP versions prior to 8.0. The issue is tracked as CVE-2023-2288 with a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 and is classified under CWE-502.
An authenticated attacker with low privileges can supply a malicious file path over the network without user interaction, triggering deserialization that yields full control over confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected site.
The referenced WPScan advisories identify the root cause in the plugin's file-handling routines and indicate that the flaw is resolved by updating to version 2.2.6 or later.
EPSS for the CVE rose materially from a low baseline to a peak of 0.1605, indicating increased exploitation interest after disclosure before receding to the current value of 0.0522.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-33794
Vulnerability details
The Otter WordPress plugin before 2.2.6 does not sanitize some user-controlled file paths before performing file operations on them. This leads to a PHAR deserialization vulnerability on PHP < 8.0 using the phar:// stream wrapper.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Penetration testing supplies malicious serialized objects, detecting unsafe deserialization and supporting corrective actions.
Evaluation of untrusted data handling (deserialization testing) reveals unsafe processing, which the required remediation process addresses.
Untrusted serialized data can be deserialized and observed inside the chamber, blocking gadget-chain exploitation outside the sandbox.
Validates or rejects untrusted serialized data before deserialization occurs.
Identifies and blocks malicious code introduced through deserialization of untrusted data at system boundaries.
Integrity verification of serialized information can detect tampering before deserialization occurs.
Provenance of associated data allows detection of untrusted sources before deserialization or processing occurs.