CVE-2014-4583 in wp-contact-sidebar-widget
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in forms/messages.php in the WP-Contact (wp-contact-sidebar-widget) plugin 1.0 and earlier for WordPress allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) edit, (2) order_direction, (3) limit_start, (4) id, or (5) order parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2014-4583 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the WP-Contact plugin version 1.0 and earlier for WordPress platforms. This vulnerability resides within the forms/messages.php file and affects the wp-contact-sidebar-widget plugin which is widely used for contact form functionality on wordpress websites. The flaw manifests as multiple XSS vectors that can be exploited by remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML code into the targeted system. The vulnerability specifically impacts five distinct parameters including edit, order_direction, limit_start, id, and order, all of which are processed without adequate input sanitization or output encoding mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of user-supplied input parameters that are directly reflected in the plugin's output. When these parameters are passed through the forms/messages.php script without proper security measures, attackers can craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or encoding, allowing attackers to execute scripts in the victim's browser. This particular implementation creates a persistent threat as the malicious scripts can be stored and executed whenever legitimate users access the affected pages.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4583 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to steal user cookies, gain unauthorized access to admin panels, or redirect users to malicious websites. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where administrators or privileged users interact with the affected plugin, as successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise. The attack vector requires minimal privileges and can be executed through standard web browser interactions, making it highly accessible to threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of the WP-Contact plugin to version 1.1 or later where the XSS flaws have been addressed. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities in their web applications. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting script execution from unauthorized sources. Security teams should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments of WordPress plugins and themes to identify potential XSS vulnerabilities. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 which describes the use of script-based attacks, and T1566 which covers social engineering techniques that could be employed to exploit such vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious parameter values that could indicate attempted exploitation of this and similar vulnerabilities.