CVE-2015-4465 in zM Ajax Login
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the zM Ajax Login & Register plugin before 1.1.0 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/15/2025
The CVE-2015-4465 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the zM Ajax Login & Register WordPress plugin, affecting versions prior to 1.1.0. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is one of the most prevalent and dangerous web application security flaws. The issue specifically impacts WordPress environments where this plugin is installed, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors seeking to exploit user sessions and execute unauthorized actions. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution vector through XSS means that attackers can leverage this weakness to compromise user accounts and manipulate the plugin's functionality without requiring local system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's ajax handling mechanisms. Attackers can inject malicious scripts through unspecified vectors that likely involve user-controllable parameters in the login and registration processes. These vectors may include form fields, URL parameters, or other user-supplied data that the plugin processes without proper sanitization before rendering in web responses. The vulnerability's nature suggests that the plugin fails to properly escape or filter user input when generating dynamic content, allowing attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the context of other users' browsers. This weakness specifically affects the plugin's ajax functionality, which is designed to provide seamless user authentication without page refreshes, making the attack surface particularly dangerous as legitimate users may unknowingly execute malicious payloads during normal authentication workflows.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-4465 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information, and perform unauthorized actions on behalf of compromised users. When exploited, this vulnerability allows threat actors to execute malicious code in the browser context of authenticated users, potentially leading to account takeovers, data exfiltration, and further network compromise. The attack can be particularly devastating in environments where the plugin is used for user authentication, as successful exploitation could grant attackers access to user accounts with potentially elevated privileges. Additionally, the vulnerability may enable attackers to manipulate the plugin's user interface, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject content that could be used for phishing attacks against other users. The remote nature of the vulnerability means that attackers can exploit it from anywhere on the internet, making it particularly dangerous for WordPress installations that are publicly accessible.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-4465 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.1.0 or later, where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and output sanitization. System administrators should also implement comprehensive monitoring of plugin usage and user activity to detect potential exploitation attempts. The implementation of Content Security Policy (CSP) headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting the sources from which scripts can be executed, thereby limiting the impact of successful XSS attacks. Security measures should include regular security audits of WordPress plugins, particularly those handling user authentication and registration processes, as well as maintaining up-to-date security frameworks and intrusion detection systems. Organizations should also consider implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAF) rules specifically designed to block known XSS attack patterns and establish security awareness training for administrators to recognize potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through social engineering and T1059.007 for script injection, emphasizing the multi-faceted nature of the threat and the need for comprehensive defensive measures across multiple security domains.