CVE-2014-4664 in Wordfence Security
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Wordfence Security plugin before 5.1.4 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the whoisval parameter on the WordfenceWhois page to wp-admin/admin.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
The CVE-2014-4664 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Wordfence Security plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 5.1.4 and creates a significant security risk for WordPress administrators and users who rely on the plugin for security monitoring and protection. The flaw exists within the plugin's handling of user input on the WordfenceWhois page, which is accessible through the wp-admin/admin.php endpoint, making it a server-side injection vulnerability that can be exploited by remote attackers without requiring authentication or privileged access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the Wordfence plugin's administrative interface. When the whoisval parameter is processed through the WordfenceWhois page, the plugin fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before rendering it within the web page context. This creates an environment where malicious actors can inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript code that will execute in the context of other users' browsers who visit the affected page. The vulnerability manifests as a classic reflected XSS attack where the malicious payload is reflected back to the user through the vulnerable parameter, bypassing standard security mechanisms that would normally prevent such injections.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4664 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially allowing attackers to perform session hijacking, steal administrator credentials, redirect users to malicious websites, or execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. Given that the vulnerability exists within the WordPress admin interface, successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of the WordPress installation, enabling attackers to modify content, install malware, or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability's remote nature means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where WordPress administrators may be less vigilant about plugin updates.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a common pattern in web security where input validation fails to properly sanitize user data before output. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving initial access through web application attacks and privilege escalation via administrative interface compromise. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation practices and highlights the importance of implementing proper output encoding for all dynamic content generated by web applications. Organizations should prioritize updating to Wordfence Security version 5.1.4 or later, implement additional web application firewalls, and conduct regular security audits of third-party plugins to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising their WordPress environments.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the affected plugin, implementation of content security policies to limit script execution, and regular monitoring of plugin security updates. Administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls, conducting security assessments of all installed plugins, and establishing automated update mechanisms for WordPress core and plugins. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining current security patches and the risks associated with outdated third-party components in web application security.