The ShareThis Dashboard for Google Analytics plugin for WordPress, versions up to and including 3.2.4, contains a vulnerability classified as CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor). The root cause is the storage of Google Analytics client_ID and client_secret credentials in plaintext within the publicly accessible plugin source code. This exposure allows unauthenticated attackers to craft malicious URLs targeting the sharethis.com server. If an administrator who is logged into both the WordPress site and Google Analytics clicks such a link, the attacker can cause the authorization token for Google Analytics to be shared with a malicious website. This token leakage compromises the confidentiality of Google Analytics data and potentially allows unauthorized access to analytics information. The vulnerability does not require the attacker to have any privileges on the WordPress site, but exploitation depends on successful social engineering to convince an administrator to click the crafted link (user interaction required). The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.7 (medium severity), reflecting network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, but requiring user interaction and impacting confidentiality only. No patches or fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. The vulnerability affects all versions up to 3.2.4, and the plugin is used primarily by websites leveraging Google Analytics integration via ShareThis for social sharing and analytics purposes.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk to the confidentiality of Google Analytics credentials and data. Unauthorized access to Google Analytics tokens could allow attackers to view sensitive website traffic data, user behavior analytics, and potentially manipulate analytics configurations. This exposure could lead to privacy compliance issues under GDPR if personal data insights are accessed or leaked. The risk is heightened for organizations with administrators who have elevated access to both WordPress and Google Analytics and who may be targeted by phishing campaigns. While the vulnerability does not directly impact system integrity or availability, the leakage of credentials could facilitate further attacks or data misuse. Organizations relying heavily on digital marketing and analytics for business decisions may suffer reputational damage if analytics data is compromised. The requirement for user interaction limits automated exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where administrators may be less security-aware.

1. Immediately audit and remove the vulnerable ShareThis Dashboard for Google Analytics plugin or update it to a patched version once available. 2. Restrict public access to plugin source files by configuring web server rules (e.g., .htaccess or nginx configs) to prevent unauthorized viewing of plugin directories. 3. Educate WordPress administrators about phishing and social engineering risks, emphasizing caution when clicking links, especially those related to analytics or plugin services. 4. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrator accounts to reduce the risk of compromised credentials. 5. Regularly review Google Analytics account activity and revoke any suspicious or unauthorized tokens. 6. Monitor network traffic and logs for unusual outbound connections to sharethis.com or other suspicious domains. 7. Consider isolating Google Analytics credentials from publicly accessible codebases by using environment variables or secure vaults. 8. Employ Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the domains that can be contacted from the WordPress admin interface. 9. Conduct regular security assessments of WordPress plugins and dependencies to identify and remediate similar issues proactively.