CVE-2014-1888 in BuddyPress plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the BuddyPress plugin before 1.9.2 for WordPress allows remote authenticated users to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the name field to groups/create/step/group-details. NOTE: this can be exploited without authentication by leveraging CVE-2014-1889.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1888 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the BuddyPress plugin for WordPress systems. This security weakness affects versions prior to 1.9.2 and specifically targets the group creation process within the BuddyPress framework. The vulnerability exists in the handling of user input within the name field of the groups/create/step/group-details endpoint, creating a persistent vector for malicious code injection that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the BuddyPress plugin's group creation functionality. When authenticated users submit group names containing malicious script code through the designated field, the application fails to properly escape or filter the input before rendering it within the web page context. This omission allows attackers to inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript code that executes in the browsers of other users who view the affected group pages. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, where improper neutralization of input during web page generation creates opportunities for malicious code execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-1888 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged to perform session hijacking, data theft, and unauthorized actions within the compromised WordPress environment. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to redirect users to malicious websites, steal cookies and session tokens, or even modify group membership permissions. The vulnerability's exploitation becomes even more dangerous when combined with CVE-2014-1889, which allows unauthenticated exploitation of the same underlying issue, effectively broadening the attack surface to include all users regardless of authentication status. This combination of vulnerabilities creates a particularly severe threat landscape for WordPress installations using affected BuddyPress versions.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching and updating of the BuddyPress plugin to version 1.9.2 or later, which contains proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers including client-side and server-side filtering, employ Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and conduct regular security audits of all installed WordPress plugins. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, while maintaining detailed monitoring of user activity within group creation functionalities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization in web applications and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers credential access through social engineering and malicious code injection methods.