CVE-2011-5307 in PhotoSmash Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in index.php in the PhotoSmash plugin 1.0.1 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 • 03/24/2025
The CVE-2011-5307 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw within the PhotoSmash WordPress plugin version 1.0.1, specifically targeting the index.php file. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security. The flaw occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code into the victim's browser environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the action parameter within the PhotoSmash plugin's index.php script. When a user visits a page that utilizes the vulnerable plugin and the action parameter contains malicious code, the plugin processes this input without adequate validation or sanitization. The vulnerable code path allows attackers to inject script tags, JavaScript payloads, or other HTML content that executes in the context of other users' browsers who view the affected pages. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be leveraged to perform session hijacking, defacement of web pages, or redirection to malicious sites, all while appearing to originate from a legitimate website.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-5307 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent footholds within targeted WordPress installations. Once a user's browser executes the injected malicious code, attackers can potentially access cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information that the user's browser has stored. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, as it represents a failure in the principle of least privilege where user-provided data is treated as trusted content. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of Web Application Attack Surface, specifically targeting the web server's ability to properly handle user input.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the PhotoSmash plugin to version 1.0.2 or later, which contains the necessary input sanitization fixes. Administrators should implement comprehensive input validation measures that filter or escape all user-supplied data before it is processed or displayed within web pages. The principle of defense in depth suggests implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded, providing an additional layer of protection against XSS attacks. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins or themes, as the exploitation of such vulnerabilities can lead to complete compromise of the WordPress installation and potentially the underlying server infrastructure. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit known XSS vulnerabilities in their web applications.