CVE-2015-7320 in Appointment Booking Calendar Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in cpabc_appointments_admin_int_bookings_list.inc.php in the Appointment Booking Calendar plugin before 1.1.8 for WordPress allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/19/2022
The CVE-2015-7320 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Appointment Booking Calendar plugin for WordPress, specifically within the cpabc_appointments_admin_int_bookings_list.inc.php file. This vulnerability affected versions prior to 1.1.8 and exposed WordPress installations to significant security risks through multiple attack vectors that remained unspecified in the initial disclosure. The flaw emerged within a plugin designed to manage appointment bookings, making it particularly concerning as administrators and users interacting with booking management interfaces would be directly exposed to malicious code injection attempts. The vulnerability's presence in the administrative booking list component suggests that privileged users accessing appointment management screens were at heightened risk of XSS exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's administrative interface. When administrators viewed the booking list in the WordPress admin panel, the application failed to properly escape or filter user-supplied data before rendering it in the browser context. This lack of proper sanitization created opportunities for attackers to inject malicious scripts that would execute in the context of other users' browsers. The unspecified vectors indicate that multiple injection points existed within the plugin's codebase, potentially including parameters passed through various booking management forms, booking details, or administrative inputs. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, where improper validation of user input leads to malicious script execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-7320 extends beyond simple script injection, as it could enable attackers to perform various malicious activities through compromised administrator sessions. Attackers could potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify booking data, or even escalate privileges within the WordPress environment. The administrative context of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation could lead to complete compromise of the WordPress installation, as administrators typically possess elevated privileges. This risk was particularly severe because the plugin's administrative functions were directly accessible through the WordPress admin panel, making it a prime target for attackers seeking persistent access to WordPress sites. The vulnerability could also facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as credential theft or data exfiltration through the execution of malicious scripts that could interact with the browser's local storage or make requests to external servers.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patching of the Appointment Booking Calendar plugin to version 1.1.8 or later, which contained the necessary input validation and output sanitization fixes. Administrators should have implemented proper input filtering at multiple levels, ensuring that all user-supplied data was properly escaped before being rendered in HTML contexts. The recommended approach aligned with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves the execution of malicious code through web-based attack vectors, by emphasizing the importance of validating and sanitizing all inputs. Additional protective measures included implementing content security policies to prevent unauthorized script execution, monitoring administrative interfaces for suspicious activity, and ensuring that only authorized personnel had access to booking management functions. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins became essential following this vulnerability, as it demonstrated the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices within WordPress ecosystems. The vulnerability also highlighted the necessity of proper security testing for plugins before deployment in production environments, particularly those handling sensitive administrative data through user interface components.