CVE-2014-6445 in Contact Form 7 Integrations
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in includes/toAdmin.php in Contact Form 7 Integrations plugin 1.0 through 1.3.10 for WordPress allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the (1) uE or (2) uC parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6445 affects the Contact Form 7 Integrations plugin version 1.0 through 1.3.10 for WordPress platforms, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that exposes web applications to remote code execution risks. This vulnerability resides within the includes/toAdmin.php file and specifically targets two parameters named uE and uC, which are processed without adequate input sanitization or output encoding mechanisms. The flaw falls under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses in web applications that allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely used WordPress plugin that facilitates contact form functionality, making it a prime target for exploitation in large-scale attacks against WordPress installations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when remote attackers manipulate the uE or uC parameters in the URL requests to the vulnerable plugin endpoint. These parameters are directly incorporated into the web page output without proper validation or encoding, creating conditions where malicious scripts can be executed in the context of other users' browsers. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication and can be executed through simple web requests, making it accessible to any attacker with knowledge of the vulnerable plugin's endpoint. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which describes social engineering attacks that can include phishing and malicious web content delivery. The lack of proper input validation and output encoding in the plugin's codebase creates an environment where attacker-controlled data flows directly into HTML contexts, enabling script execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6445 extends beyond simple script injection as it provides attackers with potential access to user sessions, data theft capabilities, and the ability to redirect victims to malicious websites. When exploited, these XSS vulnerabilities can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and the execution of malicious commands on behalf of authenticated users. The vulnerability affects WordPress installations where the Contact Form 7 Integrations plugin is active, potentially compromising thousands of websites that rely on this plugin for contact form functionality. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to create persistent backdoors, harvest user credentials, or perform actions on behalf of users with elevated privileges. The widespread adoption of WordPress and the plugin's functionality make this vulnerability particularly dangerous from a threat landscape perspective, as it can be exploited across numerous websites without requiring specific targeting.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-6445 must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. The primary recommendation involves upgrading to a patched version of the Contact Form 7 Integrations plugin, as version 1.3.11 or later should contain the necessary fixes for the XSS vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout their web applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is sanitized before being processed or displayed. Security measures including Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide additional protection against XSS attacks by restricting the sources from which scripts can be loaded. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious parameter patterns in URL requests, particularly those targeting known vulnerable endpoints. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party plugins and implementing comprehensive security testing procedures for all web applications. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the web application stack, ensuring that the security posture remains robust against evolving threats.