CVE-2014-4534 in HTML5 Video Player with Playlist plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in videoplayer/autoplay.php in the HTML5 Video Player with Playlist plugin 2.4.0 and earlier for WordPress allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) theme or (2) playlistmod parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/08/2018
The vulnerability CVE-2014-4534 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the HTML5 Video Player with Playlist plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability affects versions 2.4.0 and earlier, making it a significant concern for WordPress administrators who have not updated their plugins. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's videoplayer/autoplay.php file, which processes user-supplied parameters without proper sanitization. The vulnerability specifically targets two parameters: theme and playlistmod, both of which are directly incorporated into the plugin's output without adequate security measures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers manipulate the theme or playlistmod parameters through HTTP requests to the affected plugin endpoint. These parameters are processed directly within the PHP script without proper HTML entity encoding or input validation, allowing malicious scripts to be executed in the context of authenticated users' browsers. When a victim visits a page that includes the maliciously crafted URL parameters, the injected JavaScript code executes in their browser session, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages served to users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the WordPress environment. An attacker could potentially establish persistent backdoors through the execution of malicious JavaScript code, gain access to user sessions, or manipulate the plugin's functionality to redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects the video player plugin, which is commonly used across various websites, making it a prime target for widespread exploitation. The XSS attack vector allows for privilege escalation when users with administrative privileges access compromised pages, as the malicious scripts can execute with elevated permissions.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability involve immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS flaws through proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. WordPress administrators should ensure all plugins are regularly updated and maintain a robust patch management process to prevent such vulnerabilities from being exploited. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional defense-in-depth measures by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Additionally, input validation should be enforced at multiple levels, including parameter validation within the plugin code and web application firewall rules that can detect and block malicious payloads targeting known XSS patterns. Organizations should also implement monitoring for suspicious parameter usage and conduct regular security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output encoding practices in web applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage through XSS exploitation.