Hackers have launched a widespread attack targeting vulnerable WordPress sites by exploiting a critical vulnerability in the popular WooCommerce Payments plugin. The plugin, used on over 600,000 active installations, allows websites to accept credit and debit card payments in WooCommerce stores.
Furthermore, the vulnerability, known as CVE-2023-28121, was patched in version 5.6.2 released on March 23, 2023. However, threat actors have been actively exploiting the flaw, which allows them to impersonate administrators and gain complete control over WordPress sites.
Wordfence, a WordPress security firm, reported that the attacks began on July 14, 2023, and targeted over 157,000 sites, reaching a peak of 1.3 million attacks on July 16. The threat actors exploited the vulnerability to install the WP Console plugin or create new administrator accounts on the targeted sites.
At the same time, in some cases, the WP Console plugin was used to execute PHP code and install a file uploader, providing a persistent backdoor even after the vulnerability is fixed. Other attackers created administrator accounts with random passwords.
Additionally, to identify vulnerable WordPress sites, the attackers scanned for the existence of the ‘/wp-content/plugins/woocommerce-payments/readme.txt’ file. If found, they proceeded to exploit the vulnerability. Wordfence shared seven IP addresses associated with the attacks, with one IP address scanning over 213,000 sites.
WordPress site owners are strongly advised to update their WooCommerce Payments plugin to the latest version and conduct security scans to detect any unusual PHP files or suspicious administrator accounts.
Prompt action is necessary to protect sites from the ongoing exploitation attempts and prevent unauthorized access and control.
