Denial of Service Vulnerability in WordPress - CVE-2018-6389
Summary
DEBIAN-CVE-2018-6389: In WordPress through 4.9.2, unauthenticated attackers can cause a denial of service (resource consumption) by using the large list of registered .js files (from wp-includes/script-loader.php) to construct a series of req... Affects wordpress versions 5.7.1+dfsg1-2 – 6.8.1+dfsg1-1. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
WordPress is a widely-used content management system (CMS) that allows users to create and manage websites easily. It is known for its flexibility, extensive plugin ecosystem, and user-friendly interface. However, like any software, WordPress can be susceptible to vulnerabilities. CVE-2018-6389 is a specific vulnerability that affects WordPress versions up to 4.9.2, allowing unauthenticated attackers to exploit the system.
Vulnerability Detail
CVE-2018-6389 is a denial of service vulnerability in WordPress that allows unauthenticated attackers to consume server resources by sending a large number of requests to load registered JavaScript files. This can lead to resource exhaustion, causing the website to become unresponsive. The vulnerability originates from the way WordPress handles requests for .js files, particularly from the wp-includes/script-loader.php file. Attackers can exploit this by constructing a series of requests that repeatedly load these files, overwhelming the server.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, website administrators can implement rate limiting on their servers to restrict the number of requests that can be made to the WordPress site within a certain timeframe. This can help mitigate the impact of the denial of service attack until a proper update can be applied.
Conclusion
CVE-2018-6389 is a significant denial of service vulnerability in WordPress that can lead to server resource exhaustion. It is crucial for users to update their WordPress installations to the latest version to mitigate this risk. Implementing rate limiting can serve as a temporary solution while awaiting updates.
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FAQ
CVE-2018-6389 is a denial of service vulnerability in WordPress that allows attackers to overload the server by sending excessive requests for JavaScript files.
All versions of WordPress up to and including 4.9.2 are affected by this vulnerability.
You can use tools like Vulert to monitor and alert for open-source vulnerabilities in your software. Visit Vulert's playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected.
If an immediate update is not possible, consider implementing rate limiting on your server to reduce the risk of denial of service attacks.
Yes, Vulert provides a solution that uses a manifest file like package-lock.json to monitor and alert in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities without requiring access to the code or installation.
References
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