CVE-2015-9318 in awesome-support Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The awesome-support plugin before 3.1.7 for WordPress has a security issue in which shortcodes are allowed in replies.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2023
The CVE-2015-9318 vulnerability affects the awesome-support WordPress plugin version 3.1.6 and earlier, representing a significant security flaw in the plugin's handling of user-generated content within ticket reply systems. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that permit the execution of arbitrary shortcodes within reply fields, creating a potential attack vector for malicious actors to exploit. The issue specifically manifests in the plugin's ticket management functionality where users can submit replies to support tickets, with the system failing to properly filter or escape shortcode parameters that may be embedded within these replies.
The technical flaw resides in the plugin's inadequate sanitization of user inputs when processing ticket replies, allowing attackers to inject malicious shortcodes that could execute unintended code or commands within the WordPress environment. This vulnerability falls under the category of cross-site scripting and code injection attacks, with potential implications for privilege escalation and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The flaw is particularly concerning because it leverages WordPress's shortcode system, which is designed to execute specific functions and can potentially be manipulated to perform actions such as data exfiltration, unauthorized administrative access, or even remote code execution depending on the plugin's implementation and the server configuration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, as it creates opportunities for attackers to compromise the entire WordPress installation through the support ticket system. When users with appropriate privileges submit replies containing malicious shortcodes, these can be executed by other users who view the ticket responses, potentially leading to widespread compromise of the support system. The vulnerability also enables attackers to manipulate the display of content, inject malicious scripts, or exploit other plugin functionalities that might be accessible through shortcode execution. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and CWE-94, which covers improper control of generation of code, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where support ticket systems handle sensitive customer data.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9318 should prioritize immediate patching of the awesome-support plugin to version 3.1.7 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes to prevent shortcode injection in reply fields. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including input validation at multiple layers, regular security audits of plugin installations, and monitoring of ticket reply systems for suspicious activity. The implementation of content security policies and proper output encoding can help prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other plugin components. Organizations should also consider restricting user privileges within support ticket systems and implementing automated scanning tools to detect potential shortcode injection attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and the need for comprehensive security testing of all user-facing components in web applications, particularly those handling user-generated content within WordPress environments where plugins may introduce additional attack surfaces beyond the core platform.