CVE-2014-4600 in WP Ultimate Email Marketer
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in contact/edit.php in the WP Ultimate Email Marketer plugin 1.1.0 and earlier for WordPress allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) listname or (2) contact parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2018
The CVE-2014-4600 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the WP Ultimate Email Marketer plugin version 1.1.0 and earlier for WordPress platforms. This vulnerability exists within the contact/edit.php script and exposes users to significant security risks through improper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. The flaw affects the plugin's handling of user-supplied data, creating opportunities for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of authenticated user sessions. The vulnerability specifically targets two parameters: listname and contact, which are processed without adequate sanitization measures, making them prime targets for injection attacks.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where a web application fails to properly validate or encode user input before incorporating it into dynamic content. This particular implementation flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient output escaping in web applications, where data flows from user input directly to HTML output without proper sanitization. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and requires minimal prerequisites for exploitation, as it leverages the existing functionality of the contact management system to inject malicious payloads. Attackers can craft specially formatted inputs containing script tags or other malicious code that gets executed when the vulnerable page is rendered, potentially compromising user sessions or redirecting them to malicious sites.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4600 extends beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it creates persistent security risks for WordPress installations using the affected plugin. When exploited, these vulnerabilities can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, steal administrator credentials, or manipulate contact lists and email campaigns. The vulnerability affects not just individual users but entire WordPress installations that rely on the plugin for email marketing functionality, potentially compromising sensitive customer data and business communications. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that WordPress remains one of the most widely deployed content management systems, with many installations running outdated plugins that may contain similar vulnerabilities. The persistent nature of these XSS flaws means that once exploited, they can provide attackers with ongoing access to compromised systems until the vulnerability is patched and the plugin is updated.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-4600 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the input validation deficiencies, as the original vulnerable versions are no longer supported or maintained. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures, including proper HTML escaping and validation of all user-supplied parameters before processing. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all installed WordPress plugins to identify similar weaknesses that may exist in other components of their web applications. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect suspicious script injection patterns and anomalous user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers can leverage XSS to execute malicious scripts within user browsers. Additionally, organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts and establish robust patch management procedures to ensure timely updates of all web application components. Regular security audits and automated vulnerability scanning should be employed to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by threat actors.