CVE-2014-4017 in Conversion Ninja
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Conversion Ninja plugin for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the id parameter to lp/index.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2018
The CVE-2014-4017 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Conversion Ninja WordPress plugin, a widely used tool for lead generation and conversion tracking. This vulnerability exists in the lp/index.php endpoint where the plugin fails to properly sanitize user input parameters, specifically the id parameter that is directly reflected in the web response without adequate validation or encoding mechanisms. The flaw creates an exploitable entry point that allows remote attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially compromising the security of websites running vulnerable versions of the plugin.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, commonly known as cross-site scripting. The vulnerability operates by accepting unsanitized input through the id parameter in the lp/index.php file, which then gets rendered in the web response without proper HTML escaping or context-appropriate encoding. This creates a situation where an attacker can craft malicious payloads that execute within the browser context of legitimate users who visit pages containing the vulnerable plugin functionality. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication and can be delivered through various means including phishing emails, compromised websites, or social engineering campaigns.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress website administrators and their visitors. When exploited, attackers can execute malicious scripts that may steal session cookies, redirect users to fraudulent websites, deface content, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can lead to complete compromise of user accounts, data exfiltration, and potential use as a foothold for further attacks within the compromised website infrastructure. The vulnerability affects all versions of the Conversion Ninja plugin prior to the patch release, leaving numerous websites exposed to potential exploitation by threat actors who actively scan for such vulnerabilities.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of WordPress and the Conversion Ninja plugin, which often serves as a critical component in marketing automation and lead capture workflows. Organizations using this plugin may experience unauthorized access to their lead data, manipulation of conversion tracking metrics, and potential injection of malicious content that could affect their reputation and user trust. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and output encoding practices, as well as the necessity of keeping all WordPress plugins updated to address known security issues. The remediation strategy involves immediate patching of the plugin to version that includes proper parameter sanitization and input validation, along with implementing additional security measures such as web application firewalls and regular security audits to prevent similar issues in other components of the web application stack.