CVE-2014-4848 in blogstand-smart-banner
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Blogstand Banner (blogstand-smart-banner) plugin 1.0 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the bs_blog_id parameter to wp-admin/options-general.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
The CVE-2014-4848 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Blogstand Banner plugin version 1.0 for WordPress platforms. This vulnerability specifically affects the wp-admin/options-general.php administrative interface where the bs_blog_id parameter is processed without adequate input validation or output sanitization. The flaw enables remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content directly into the plugin's configuration page, creating a persistent vector for exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a code injection attack where malicious scripts are executed in the victim's browser. The vulnerability occurs because the plugin fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied input from the bs_blog_id parameter before rendering it within the administrative interface. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that can execute in the context of any authenticated administrator who visits the affected configuration page. The attack requires minimal privileges as it targets the WordPress admin interface, making it particularly dangerous for sites where administrators may not be security-aware.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-4848 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can lead to complete administrative compromise of affected WordPress installations. When an administrator views the plugin settings page, their browser executes the injected malicious code, potentially enabling attackers to steal session cookies, modify plugin configurations, or even redirect administrators to phishing sites. This vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including social engineering campaigns where administrators are tricked into visiting malicious links that trigger the XSS payload. The attack chain typically involves sending crafted links to administrators who then inadvertently execute the malicious code within their privileged browser sessions.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should include immediate plugin updates to versions that properly sanitize the bs_blog_id parameter, implementing Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts, and conducting thorough security audits of all installed WordPress plugins. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious parameter values. From a defensive standpoint, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and output encoding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten security controls. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application attack vector under the T1190 technique for exploitation of web applications, emphasizing the need for comprehensive web application security testing and regular security patch management processes.