CVE-2013-4693 in Digital Flash Clock Extension
Summary
by MITRE
WordPress Xorbin Digital Flash Clock 1.0 has XSS
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4693 affects WordPress plugin Xorbin Digital Flash Clock version 1.0 and represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability that allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This particular plugin was designed to display digital flash clocks on WordPress websites, but failed to properly sanitize user input, creating an exploitable condition that could be leveraged for various malicious activities. The vulnerability falls under the category of persistent cross-site scripting, where malicious code can be stored on the server and executed whenever users access affected pages.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the plugin's code implementation. When users interact with the plugin's interface or provide input through web forms, the application fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's handling of user-supplied data in parameters that are subsequently rendered on web pages without proper sanitization. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit this weakness by injecting script tags or other executable code that will execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability is classified as CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which is a fundamental weakness in web application security.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution and can lead to serious security consequences including session hijacking, credential theft, defacement of web content, and potential redirection to malicious websites. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to user sessions, potentially compromising administrator accounts and gaining full control over affected WordPress installations. The persistent nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious code will continue to execute for all users who view the affected pages until the plugin is updated or the malicious input is removed from the system. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in WordPress environments where plugins often have access to sensitive data and administrative functions, making the attack surface significantly larger than typical web applications.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the affected plugin to the latest version that addresses the XSS flaw, or complete removal of the vulnerable plugin from the WordPress installation. System administrators should implement proper input validation and output encoding practices throughout their web applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being rendered on web pages. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution, while regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar weaknesses in other plugins or themes. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date plugins and following security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, which includes cross-site scripting as one of the most critical web application security risks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts of known vulnerabilities like CVE-2013-4693.