WordPress 'wp-login.php' Admin Password Reset Security Bypass Vulnerability

BID:36014

Info

WordPress 'wp-login.php' Admin Password Reset Security Bypass Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID: 36014
Class: Input Validation Error
CVE: CVE-2009-2762
Remote: Yes
Local: No
Published: Aug 10 2009 12:00AM
Updated: Sep 01 2009 06:52PM
Credit: Laurent Gaffie
Vulnerable: WordPress WordPress 2.8.3
Red Hat Fedora 11
Red Hat Fedora 10
Not Vulnerable: WordPress WordPress 2.8.4

Discussion

WordPress 'wp-login.php' Admin Password Reset Security Bypass Vulnerability

WordPress is prone to a security-bypass vulnerability because it fails to adequately restrict access to the password-reset feature.

An attacker can exploit this issue to reset the administrator password of the application. Repeated attacks may allow the attacker to cause persistent denial-of-service conditions.

WordPress 2.8.3 is affected; other versions may also be vulnerable.

Exploit / POC

WordPress 'wp-login.php' Admin Password Reset Security Bypass Vulnerability

Attackers can exploit this issue via a browser.

The following example URI is available:

http://www.example.com/wp-login.php?action=rp&key[]=

Core Security Technologies has developed a working commercial exploit for its CORE IMPACT product. This exploit is not otherwise publicly available or known to be circulating in the wild.

Solution / Fix

WordPress 'wp-login.php' Admin Password Reset Security Bypass Vulnerability

Solution:
The vendor has released updates. Please see the references for details.

References

WordPress 'wp-login.php' Admin Password Reset Security Bypass Vulnerability

References:

© CVE.report 2026

Use of this information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are NO warranties, implied or otherwise, with regard to this information or its use. Any use of this information is at the user's risk. It is the responsibility of user to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content. EACH USER WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY consequences of his or her direct or indirect use of this web site. ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND ARE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED. This site will NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT or any other kind of loss.

CVE, CWE, and OVAL are registred trademarks of The MITRE Corporation and the authoritative source of CVE content is MITRE's CVE web site. This site includes MITRE data granted under the following license.

Free CVE JSON API cve.report/api

CVE.report and Source URL Uptime Status status.cve.report