CVE-2014-100027 in WP SlimStat
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the WP SlimStat plugin before 3.5.6 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2018
The CVE-2014-100027 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the WP SlimStat WordPress plugin ecosystem, affecting versions prior to 3.5.6. This vulnerability resides in the plugin's handling of user-supplied URL parameters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected websites. The WP SlimStat plugin serves as a web analytics tool that tracks visitor behavior and generates reports, making it a valuable target for attackers seeking to exploit the plugin's functionality for unauthorized access or data manipulation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of URL parameters that the plugin processes without adequate sanitization or validation. When a user visits a specially crafted URL containing malicious script payloads, the plugin fails to properly escape or filter these inputs before rendering them in the web interface. This allows attackers to inject HTML content that executes in the browser context of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or further compromise of the WordPress installation. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's URL parsing mechanisms, where user input flows directly into output without proper security controls.
The operational impact of this XSS vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the compromised WordPress environment. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to steal administrator cookies, modify plugin settings, inject backdoors, or redirect users to malicious sites. The attack surface is particularly concerning because WP SlimStat typically runs with elevated privileges within WordPress, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive analytics data or manipulate tracking configurations. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a critical web application security weakness, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-100027 primarily focus on immediate plugin updates to version 3.5.6 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as web application firewalls, content security policies, and regular security audits of installed plugins. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices, reinforcing industry standards that require developers to sanitize all user inputs and escape output data to prevent injection attacks. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected plugins and ensure all WordPress components remain updated with the latest security patches.