CVE-2015-10013 in taxonomy-switcher Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/09/2023
A vulnerability was found in WebDevStudios taxonomy-switcher Plugin up to 1.0.3. It has been classified as problematic. Affected is the function taxonomy_switcher_init of the file taxonomy-switcher.php. The manipulation leads to cross site scripting. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. Upgrading to version 1.0.4 is able to address this issue. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component. VDB-217446 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-10013 affects the WebDevStudios taxonomy-switcher WordPress plugin version 1.0.3 and earlier, representing a significant security weakness that exposes websites to cross-site scripting attacks. This issue resides within the taxonomy_switcher_init function located in the taxonomy-switcher.php file, making it a critical point of failure in the plugin's security architecture. The vulnerability has been classified as problematic due to its potential for remote exploitation, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The cross-site scripting flaw enables attackers to execute arbitrary code in victims' browsers, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized administrative actions. The remote attack vector means that malicious actors can exploit this vulnerability without requiring physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous for web applications that rely on user input processing. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a fundamental web application security weakness that has been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent and dangerous vulnerabilities in web development.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the taxonomy-switcher plugin's initialization function. When the plugin processes user-supplied data through the taxonomy_switcher_init function, it fails to properly escape or filter malicious script content before rendering it in web pages. This omission creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code through various input vectors including form fields, URL parameters, or other user-controllable data points. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly attractive to threat actors who may not possess advanced hacking capabilities. The plugin's failure to implement proper security measures such as HTML escaping, context-aware output encoding, or input validation creates a direct pathway for malicious code execution. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for Scripting and T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories, demonstrating how the flaw can be leveraged to execute code and exfiltrate data from compromised systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling sophisticated attack chains that could compromise entire web applications. Attackers could leverage this XSS vulnerability to steal administrator credentials, modify website content, redirect users to malicious sites, or establish persistent backdoors within the compromised WordPress environment. The remote exploitation capability means that organizations cannot rely on local network security measures alone to protect against this threat, as attackers can initiate attacks from anywhere on the internet. This vulnerability particularly impacts WordPress sites that use the taxonomy-switcher plugin, potentially affecting thousands of websites depending on the plugin's adoption rate. The security implications are compounded by the fact that many WordPress installations may not regularly update their plugins, leaving them exposed to known vulnerabilities for extended periods. Organizations using this plugin face increased risk of data breaches, website defacement, and potential compromise of user data through session hijacking attacks.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading the affected plugin to version 1.0.4 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to address the cross-site scripting vulnerability. This upgrade represents the most direct and effective solution to eliminate the threat posed by CVE-2015-10013. System administrators should prioritize this update as part of their regular security maintenance procedures, ensuring that all plugin components remain current with the latest security releases. Beyond the immediate upgrade, organizations should implement comprehensive security monitoring to detect any potential exploitation attempts, including logging and analyzing unusual user behavior patterns or unexpected data modifications. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining current plugin versions and implementing robust security practices such as regular security audits, input validation testing, and output encoding verification. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against similar vulnerabilities. The incident serves as a reminder of the essential need for continuous security assessment and the importance of keeping all web application components updated to address known security weaknesses.