CVE-2011-3860 in Cover WP
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Cover WP theme before 1.6.6 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the s parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2025
The CVE-2011-3860 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Cover WP theme for WordPress systems prior to version 1.6.6. This vulnerability resides in the theme's handling of user input through the s parameter, which is commonly used for search functionality within WordPress installations. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the vulnerable application, potentially compromising user sessions and data integrity.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a reflected XSS attack vector. The technical implementation involves the Cover WP theme failing to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input before rendering it within the web page context. When users access a maliciously crafted URL containing script code in the s parameter, the vulnerable theme executes this code in the context of other users' browsers, creating a persistent security risk. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages legitimate search functionality that users frequently interact with, making exploitation more likely and harder to detect.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can craft URLs that appear legitimate to users while simultaneously executing malicious payloads in their browsers. This creates a significant risk for WordPress site administrators and users who may unknowingly access compromised search results. The vulnerability affects all WordPress installations using the Cover WP theme version 1.6.5 or earlier, making it particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of WordPress and its themes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3860 primarily focus on immediate patching of the vulnerable theme to version 1.6.6 or later, which contains proper input sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding practices across all web applications, following the principle of least privilege and secure coding guidelines. Network-level defenses such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by filtering suspicious input patterns, though these should not replace proper code-level fixes. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of regular security updates and the need for robust input validation practices in web application development, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for initial access through malicious inputs and T1059 for execution of malicious code through web interfaces.