CVE-2015-9319 in gregs-high-performance-seo Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The gregs-high-performance-seo plugin before 1.6.2 for WordPress has XSS in the context of an old browser.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2023
The CVE-2015-9319 vulnerability affects the gregs-high-performance-seo WordPress plugin version 1.6.1 and earlier, presenting a cross-site scripting flaw that specifically targets users operating with outdated web browsers. This vulnerability represents a classic security weakness in web application input validation and output sanitization mechanisms. The issue manifests when the plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input data before rendering it within the browser context, creating opportunities for malicious actors to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser session.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the plugin's codebase, particularly when handling user-provided parameters or content that gets reflected back to the browser. This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper sanitization or encoding. The vulnerability's exploitation requires that a victim be using an older browser version that may not implement modern security mitigations such as content security policies or automatic script sanitization, making the attack surface more pronounced for legacy browser users.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress administrators and site visitors who may be using outdated browser versions. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject malicious JavaScript code that could steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the victim. The impact is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where legacy browser support is maintained for compatibility reasons, as these systems become prime targets for exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates how plugin developers must consider the security implications of supporting older browser versions, as these environments often lack the modern security protections that would otherwise mitigate such attacks.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9319 primarily involve updating to the patched version 1.6.2 of the gregs-high-performance-seo plugin, which implements proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Security professionals should also consider implementing content security policies to limit script execution, conducting regular vulnerability assessments of WordPress plugins, and maintaining up-to-date browser versions across organizational systems. Additionally, administrators should follow the ATT&CK framework's mitigation recommendations for web application security by implementing proper input validation, output encoding, and maintaining updated security tooling to detect and prevent such vulnerabilities in the broader WordPress ecosystem. The vulnerability highlights the importance of continuous security monitoring and the need for developers to prioritize security in all aspects of their code, particularly when dealing with user input and browser compatibility considerations.