CVE-2014-4538 in Malware Finder
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in process.php in the Malware Finder plugin 1.1 and earlier for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the query parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2018
The CVE-2014-4538 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Malware Finder WordPress plugin version 1.1 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the process.php file and demonstrates a classic input validation weakness that enables remote attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of affected websites. The vulnerability specifically targets the query parameter handling mechanism, where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being processed and returned to users. This flaw falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security vulnerabilities identified by the CWE organization. The Malware Finder plugin, designed to help WordPress site administrators detect malicious code, becomes a vector for attack when it fails to properly validate user input.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing script code within the query parameter of the process.php endpoint. When a victim visits this crafted URL, the malicious script executes in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability's impact is amplified because it affects WordPress installations that use the Malware Finder plugin, which typically have administrative privileges or access to sensitive user data. Attackers can leverage this flaw to inject persistent scripts that remain active until the page is refreshed or the browser session ends. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication from the attacker and can be delivered through social engineering or automated scanning tools that identify vulnerable WordPress installations.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4538 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting, session manipulation, and data exfiltration. When combined with other vulnerabilities or attack techniques, this XSS flaw can serve as a stepping stone for more complex attacks within the WordPress ecosystem. The vulnerability's presence in a security plugin creates a particularly ironic scenario where the tool meant to protect against malware becomes a potential entry point for attackers. Organizations using affected versions of the Malware Finder plugin face significant risk of compromised user sessions, data breaches, and potential full system compromise if attackers can leverage additional vulnerabilities within the WordPress installation. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious links and T1071.001 for application layer protocol usage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4538 require immediate action including upgrading to a patched version of the Malware Finder plugin, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms, and deploying web application firewalls to filter malicious requests. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify other potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited in conjunction with this XSS flaw. The recommended approach includes implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts, sanitizing all user inputs through proper encoding techniques, and establishing regular security monitoring to detect suspicious activities. Additionally, administrators should disable or remove unused plugins, maintain updated WordPress core installations, and implement security hardening measures that align with industry best practices such as those recommended by the OWASP project. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web applications and highlights the necessity of secure coding practices that prevent injection attacks across all application components.