CVE-2014-4573 in Walk Score
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in frame-maker.php in the Walk Score plugin 0.5.5 and earlier for WordPress allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) s or (2) o parameter.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2018
The CVE-2014-4573 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Walk Score plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions 0.5.5 and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the frame-maker.php script and demonstrates a classic input validation failure that enables attackers to execute malicious code within the context of victim browsers. The flaw manifests through two distinct parameter injection points identified as 's' and 'o' parameters, both of which are susceptible to malicious input without proper sanitization or validation mechanisms.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or escaping. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious payloads that are injected through the vulnerable parameters and subsequently executed when other users view the affected pages. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can facilitate session hijacking, credential theft, and the delivery of additional malware to unsuspecting users who interact with compromised WordPress sites.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to WordPress administrators and end users who rely on the Walk Score plugin for location-based services and mapping functionality. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that WordPress powers over 40% of websites globally, making this vulnerability potentially widespread and impactful. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill, as attackers can leverage standard web application penetration testing techniques to identify and exploit the XSS flaw through simple parameter manipulation.
The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting how attackers can leverage web application flaws to gain unauthorized access to systems. This vulnerability also maps to T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as the injected scripts can execute commands within user browsers. The persistence aspect of this vulnerability means that once exploited, attackers can maintain access through malicious scripts that remain active in the browser context until the page is refreshed or the browser session ends.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4573 include immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, implementation of input validation and output escaping mechanisms, and deployment of web application firewalls to filter malicious payloads. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins and themes. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of keeping content management systems and plugins updated, as the affected version 0.5.5 represents an outdated release that lacked proper security hardening measures. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious parameter patterns and implementation of proper content security policies to prevent script injection attacks.