CVE-2015-4557 in Nextend Twitter Connect Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the new_Twitter_sign_button function in nextend-Twitter-connect.php in the Nextend Twitter Connect plugin before 1.5.2 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the redirect_to parameter. NOTE: this may overlap CVE-2015-4413.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/30/2024
The CVE-2015-4557 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Nextend Twitter Connect WordPress plugin, specifically within the new_Twitter_sign_button function located in nextend-Twitter-connect.php. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 1.5.2 and creates a significant security risk for WordPress installations that utilize this plugin for Twitter authentication integration. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content through the redirect_to parameter.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic XSS attack vector where user-controllable input flows directly into the plugin's output without proper sanitization. When the redirect_to parameter is processed by the new_Twitter_sign_button function, it fails to properly escape or validate the input before rendering it in the web page context. This allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that execute in the context of other users' browsers who visit pages utilizing the vulnerable plugin functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can leverage this flaw to manipulate the Twitter authentication flow, potentially redirecting users to phishing pages or executing malicious code that can harvest cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information. The vulnerability's potential overlap with CVE-2015-4413 suggests similar attack patterns and underlying implementation flaws across related components within the same plugin ecosystem.
Security practitioners should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application vulnerability that can be exploited through the initial access phase, potentially leading to privilege escalation and persistent access within compromised WordPress environments. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation practices that violate secure coding principles and can be mitigated through proper parameter sanitization and output encoding mechanisms.
Organizations utilizing the Nextend Twitter Connect plugin should immediately upgrade to version 1.5.2 or later to remediate this vulnerability. The fix typically involves implementing proper input validation for the redirect_to parameter and ensuring that all user-controllable inputs are properly escaped before being rendered in web contexts. Additionally, administrators should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their WordPress installations to identify other potential XSS vulnerabilities and implement web application firewalls or input validation layers as additional defensive measures.