CVE-2011-4956 in WordPress
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WordPress before 3.1.1 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2021
The CVE-2011-4956 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in WordPress versions prior to 3.1.1, exposing millions of websites to potential exploitation by remote attackers. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically targeting the web application's input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The vulnerability's impact stems from WordPress's insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data within its core functionality, creating an attack surface where malicious scripts can be injected and executed in the context of other users' browsers.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through unspecified vectors within WordPress's content handling processes, likely involving user comments, post content, or administrative inputs that are not properly escaped or validated before being rendered on web pages. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when executed, can steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability's classification as a remote attack means that no local access or authentication is required for exploitation, making it particularly dangerous for widely deployed WordPress installations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to WordPress installations, as it can be leveraged to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the WordPress administrative interface. The impact extends beyond simple script execution, as successful exploitation can lead to complete account takeovers, data exfiltration, and the deployment of malicious content across entire websites. Organizations running vulnerable WordPress versions face significant exposure to credential theft, defacement attacks, and potential use as a stepping stone for broader network infiltration activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-4956 primarily involve immediate upgrading to WordPress 3.1.1 or later versions, which contain the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. System administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as input validation at multiple layers, output escaping for all dynamic content, and regular security audits of WordPress installations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping content management systems updated and highlights the need for comprehensive security monitoring that can detect and respond to exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities. This incident underscores the critical nature of vulnerability management and the potential consequences of running outdated software in production environments.