CVE-2014-100018 in Unconfirmed
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Unconfirmed plugin before 1.2.5 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the s parameter in the unconfirmed page to wp-admin/network/users.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2018
The CVE-2014-100018 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Unconfirmed plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 1.2.5 and resides within the administrative interface of WordPress networks. The flaw manifests when the plugin processes user input through the s parameter in the unconfirmed page located at wp-admin/network/users.php. This location places the vulnerability within the core administrative functionality of WordPress multisite installations, making it particularly dangerous as it targets privileged administrative users who have access to sensitive system controls.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting attacks as a consequence of insufficient input validation and output encoding. The flaw occurs because the plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied input before rendering it within the web page context. When an attacker crafts a malicious payload and injects it through the s parameter, the plugin directly incorporates this unvalidated content into the HTML output without adequate protection mechanisms. This allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of an authenticated administrator's browser session, bypassing standard security controls that protect against such attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or defacement. Since the target is the WordPress network administration interface, successful exploitation could enable attackers to gain full administrative control over the entire WordPress network. This includes the ability to modify user permissions, install malicious plugins, modify core WordPress files, and access sensitive data across all sites within the network. The vulnerability's location in the network users page specifically targets the management interface where administrators oversee user accounts and network policies, making it an ideal vector for privilege escalation attacks. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection techniques and T1548.001 for privilege escalation through administrative access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to upgrade the Unconfirmed plugin to version 1.2.5 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures at multiple layers, including implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, employing proper output encoding for all dynamic content, and establishing regular security auditing procedures for third-party plugins. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious parameter values, while conducting regular security assessments of all installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated plugin to ensure compatibility with existing network configurations and user workflows. Additionally, administrators should review and implement proper access controls and monitoring for administrative interfaces to detect unauthorized access attempts and maintain audit trails of all administrative activities.