CVE-2023-5177 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in the Vrm 360 3D Model Viewer WordPress plugin, specifically in versions up to 1.2.1. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-209, which pertains to information exposure through error messages. The issue arises when a user inputs a non-existent file path as a parameter within the plugin's shortcode functionality. Instead of handling the error gracefully, the plugin discloses the full file system path of the requested file in the error message. This exposure can reveal sensitive directory structures and file locations on the web server hosting the WordPress site. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.3, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires no privileges (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N), making it remotely exploitable by unauthenticated attackers. The impact is limited to confidentiality (C:L), with no effect on integrity or availability. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches have been published at the time of analysis. The vendor or project behind the plugin is unknown, which may complicate remediation efforts. The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, increasing the risk of automated scanning and exploitation attempts. However, the impact is limited to information disclosure, which could be leveraged as a reconnaissance step in a broader attack chain but does not directly compromise system integrity or availability.

For European organizations using WordPress sites with the Vrm 360 3D Model Viewer plugin, this vulnerability could lead to unintended disclosure of internal file system paths. Such information can aid attackers in crafting more targeted attacks, such as path traversal, local file inclusion, or privilege escalation exploits. While the direct impact is limited to confidentiality, the exposure of directory structures can facilitate subsequent attacks that may compromise sensitive data or disrupt services. Organizations in sectors with high-value targets, such as finance, government, or critical infrastructure, could face increased risk if attackers use this information to escalate privileges or move laterally within networks. Additionally, compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR may be impacted if the information disclosure leads to further breaches involving personal data. The lack of authentication requirements means that any external attacker can probe for this vulnerability, increasing the attack surface. However, the absence of known exploits and the medium severity rating suggest that immediate widespread impact is unlikely but should not be ignored.

1. Immediate mitigation should involve disabling or removing the Vrm 360 3D Model Viewer plugin from WordPress sites until a patch or update is available. 2. Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block requests containing suspicious shortcode parameters that attempt to access non-existent files. 3. Configure the web server and PHP error reporting settings to prevent detailed error messages from being displayed to end users; instead, log errors internally without revealing file paths. 4. Conduct a thorough audit of all installed WordPress plugins to identify and remove any that are unmaintained or have unknown vendors, reducing the risk of similar vulnerabilities. 5. Monitor web server logs for repeated attempts to exploit this vulnerability or similar information disclosure issues. 6. Educate development and operations teams about secure error handling practices to avoid leaking sensitive information in error messages. 7. Once a patch or updated version of the plugin is released, prioritize testing and deployment to restore functionality securely. 8. Consider implementing application-level input validation and sanitization to prevent malformed or malicious shortcode parameters from triggering errors.