CVE-2015-9392 in users-ultra Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The users-ultra plugin before 1.5.63 for WordPress has XSS via the p_name parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2023
The CVE-2015-9392 vulnerability resides within the users-ultra plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.5.63. This security flaw represents a classic cross-site scripting vulnerability that exploits improper input validation within the plugin's parameter handling mechanism. The vulnerability manifests through the p_name parameter, which is utilized in the plugin's user management and profile display functionalities. Attackers can leverage this weakness to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially compromising the entire WordPress installation and its associated user data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied input within the plugin's backend processing. When the p_name parameter is passed through the application's request handling without proper validation or encoding, malicious payloads can be executed within the context of other users' browsers. This occurs because the plugin fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a common pattern where input validation occurs too late in the processing pipeline or not at all.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. An attacker could craft a malicious URL containing script payloads that would execute whenever an administrator or other privileged user views the affected page. This could lead to complete compromise of the WordPress site, allowing unauthorized access to user accounts, modification of content, or even installation of backdoors. The vulnerability particularly affects sites using the users-ultra plugin for user management, member directories, or profile display functionalities where the p_name parameter is utilized. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for malicious file execution, representing the initial compromise and lateral movement phases of an attack.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9392 primarily involve immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 1.5.63 or later, which contains proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, implementation of web application firewalls, and monitoring for suspicious user activity. Input validation should be strengthened at multiple layers including client-side and server-side validation, with proper HTML entity encoding applied to all user-supplied content before rendering. Security headers such as Content Security Policy should be implemented to further limit the impact of potential XSS attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely updates of all WordPress components and plugins, preventing exploitation of known vulnerabilities in their web applications.