CVE-2013-4944 in Buddypress-extended-frienship-request
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the BuddyPress Extended Friendship Request plugin before 1.0.2 for WordPress, when the "Friend Connections" component is enabled, allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the friendship_request_message parameter to wp-admin/admin-ajax.php. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/28/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-4944 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the BuddyPress Extended Friendship Request plugin for WordPress platforms. This security weakness specifically targets versions prior to 1.0.2 and manifests when the "Friend Connections" component is actively enabled within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability exposes the system to remote code execution risks through malicious web script injection, creating potential pathways for attackers to compromise user sessions and access sensitive information. The flaw resides in the improper handling of user input within the friendship_request_message parameter, which is processed through the wp-admin/admin-ajax.php endpoint, a core WordPress administrative interface designed for asynchronous requests.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. When users submit friendship requests through the extended friendship functionality, the friendship_request_message parameter fails to undergo proper sanitization before being processed and rendered back to the user interface. This lack of input filtering creates an environment where malicious actors can inject crafted HTML or JavaScript payloads that execute within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications, where the system fails to properly validate or escape user-supplied data before incorporating it into dynamically generated content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that include script tags or other malicious code within the friendship request message field, which then gets executed when other users view the friendship request interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform session hijacking, steal cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, and potentially escalate privileges within the WordPress environment. Users who view friendship requests containing malicious code become unwitting participants in the attack, with their browsers executing the injected scripts in the context of their authenticated sessions. This creates a significant threat vector for attackers seeking to compromise user accounts and potentially gain administrative access to the WordPress site. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers social engineering attacks through malicious web content, as users are typically tricked into submitting the malicious request during normal friendship interaction processes. The attack requires minimal technical expertise from the attacker while providing substantial access to compromised systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-4944 primarily focus on immediate plugin updates to version 1.0.2 or later, which contain the necessary input validation fixes and sanitization measures. Administrators should also implement comprehensive input filtering at the server level using techniques such as HTML entity encoding and strict content type validation to prevent malicious payloads from being processed. Network-level protections including web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense by monitoring for suspicious patterns in requests to the wp-admin/admin-ajax.php endpoint. Regular security audits of installed plugins and themes should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities, while implementing proper access controls and monitoring user-generated content submissions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and following secure coding practices, particularly when handling user input in web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of potential XSS attacks. Regular security training for administrators and users helps prevent social engineering aspects of exploitation while maintaining overall system security posture.