CVE-2014-4932 in Wordfence Security
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Wordfence Security plugin before 5.1.5 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the val parameter to whois.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/18/2020
The CVE-2014-4932 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Wordfence Security plugin for WordPress systems. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 5.1.5 and creates a dangerous attack vector that allows remote threat actors to execute malicious scripts within the context of a victim's browser session. The vulnerability manifests through the improper handling of user-supplied input in the whois.php script, which processes the val parameter without adequate sanitization or validation measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly filter and escape user input before incorporating it into dynamic web content. When an attacker submits malicious data through the val parameter to the whois.php endpoint, the plugin processes this input directly without sufficient input validation or output encoding. This creates an environment where attacker-controlled content can be injected into web pages served to other users, enabling various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, making it a classic example of insecure data handling in web interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with the capability to establish persistent footholds within WordPress environments. Once exploited, the XSS vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the Wordfence plugin's functionality, potentially disabling security features or redirecting users to malicious sites. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Wordfence is a widely deployed security plugin, meaning that exploitation could compromise numerous WordPress installations simultaneously. Threat actors could leverage this vulnerability to perform credential harvesting attacks, modify plugin configurations, or even escalate privileges within compromised systems.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the patch released in Wordfence version 5.1.5, which addresses the input validation issue in the whois.php script. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization measures and output encoding practices can serve as effective mitigations against similar vulnerabilities. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious parameter values in web application logs, and network-based intrusion detection systems should be configured to identify potential exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for script injection, emphasizing the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in preventing such attacks. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes remain essential to identify similar vulnerabilities that could provide attackers with unauthorized access to web applications.