CVE-2010-4630 in Wp-survey-and-quiz-tool
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in pages/admin/surveys/create.php in the WP Survey And Quiz Tool plugin 1.2.1 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the action parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2017
The CVE-2010-4630 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the WP Survey And Quiz Tool plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting version 1.2.1. This vulnerability exists in the administrative survey creation page at pages/admin/surveys/create.php, making it a critical concern for WordPress site administrators who rely on this plugin for survey and quiz functionality. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's administrative interface, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors seeking to compromise WordPress installations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content through the action parameter, which is processed without proper sanitization measures. This parameter handling flaw enables attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of a victim's browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting, and represents a variant of stored XSS where malicious input is processed and stored within the application's database before being served to other users. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the critical importance of sanitizing all user-supplied data before processing or storing it within web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to gain elevated privileges within the WordPress administrative interface. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially modify survey configurations, inject malicious code into survey responses, or even escalate privileges to gain full administrative control over affected WordPress installations. This represents a significant threat to organizations relying on WordPress for survey and quiz functionality, particularly those handling sensitive data through these tools. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise, making it attractive to threat actors seeking automated attacks against WordPress installations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-4630 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as the original 1.2.1 version contains no built-in protection mechanisms. Administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures, particularly for all parameters passed to administrative interfaces. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting administrative access to only authorized personnel and implementing additional security layers such as web application firewalls. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, while security monitoring systems should be deployed to detect suspicious activities related to survey and quiz functionality. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and regular security assessments aligned with NIST cybersecurity frameworks to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising their digital infrastructure. This vulnerability underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the importance of adhering to secure coding standards throughout the software development lifecycle.