CVE-2015-5485 in Modern Tribe Eventbrite Tickets Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the Event Import page (import-eventbrite-events.php) in the Modern Tribe Eventbrite Tickets plugin before 3.10.2 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the "error" parameter to wp-admin/edit.php.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2022
The CVE-2015-5485 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Modern Tribe Eventbrite Tickets plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.10.2. This vulnerability resides within the event import functionality, particularly in the import-eventbrite-events.php file, making it a significant concern for WordPress site administrators who utilize event management features. The flaw manifests when the plugin processes error messages during the import process, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code within the context of affected WordPress installations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the "error" parameter within the wp-admin/edit.php endpoint. When a user navigates to the event import page and encounters an error during the import process, the error message gets rendered back to the user interface without proper input sanitization or output encoding. This failure in input validation creates a classic XSS vector where attackers can inject malicious scripts that will execute in the browser context of legitimate users who view the error page. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the administrative interface, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges or steal session cookies from authenticated administrators.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to WordPress installations that rely on the Eventbrite Tickets plugin for event management. Attackers could exploit this flaw to inject malicious code that redirects users to phishing sites, steals administrator credentials, or performs unauthorized actions within the WordPress administration panel. The vulnerability's location within the import functionality means that even routine error handling could become a weapon for attackers, as the error messages displayed during import operations become potential attack vectors. Given that many WordPress sites use event management plugins extensively, the potential attack surface for this vulnerability is substantial.
The security implications extend beyond simple script injection, as this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and follows patterns identified in the ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 technique for Command and Scripting Interpreter. The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly benign error handling mechanisms can become security weaknesses when proper input validation and output sanitization are not implemented. Organizations using the affected plugin version face potential data breaches, unauthorized access to administrative functions, and possible complete compromise of their WordPress installations. The remediation process requires immediate plugin updates to version 3.10.2 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms that prevent malicious scripts from being executed in the user's browser context.
This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly in administrative interfaces where users have elevated privileges. The flaw demonstrates how third-party plugins can introduce security risks that extend beyond the core WordPress platform, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security testing and regular updates. Security professionals should implement monitoring for suspicious activities around administrative interfaces and ensure that all plugin components undergo proper security review before deployment in production environments. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the importance of conducting regular vulnerability assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in plugin ecosystems.