CVE-2015-1366 in Pixabay Images
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in pixabay-images.php in the Pixabay Images plugin before 2.4 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the image_user parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1366 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Pixabay Images plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions prior to 2.4. This vulnerability resides in the pixabay-images.php file and creates a pathway for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected websites. The flaw manifests through improper input validation of the image_user parameter, which serves as an entry point for attackers to inject malicious payloads that can be executed by unsuspecting users visiting the compromised site.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization and validation of user-supplied input within the plugin's backend processing. When the image_user parameter is passed to the pixabay-images.php script without proper filtering, the system fails to neutralize potentially harmful content that could include script tags, event handlers, or other malicious code sequences. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a result of insufficient input validation and output encoding. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through various attack vectors including crafted URLs, malicious user profiles, or manipulated API calls that ultimately feed into the vulnerable parameter handling mechanism.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, creating significant risks for WordPress website administrators and their visitors. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or deface the affected website with malicious content. The vulnerability particularly affects WordPress environments where the Pixabay Images plugin is installed and active, potentially compromising thousands of websites that rely on this plugin for image display functionality. Attackers could leverage this weakness to perform session hijacking attacks, harvest user credentials, or establish persistent backdoors within the compromised WordPress installations, making this vulnerability a serious concern for web security professionals.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1366 require immediate action to update the affected Pixabay Images plugin to version 2.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation issues. System administrators should also implement additional defensive measures including input sanitization at multiple layers, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security audits of installed WordPress plugins. The remediation process should follow established security protocols for plugin management and vulnerability remediation as outlined in industry best practices. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious input patterns, while also conducting thorough vulnerability assessments to identify other potential XSS vulnerabilities within their WordPress environments. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping content management systems and their plugins updated, as outdated software components often represent the primary attack surface for sophisticated cyber threats.