CVE-2015-9414 in wp-symposium Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The wp-symposium plugin through 15.8.1 for WordPress has XSS via the wp-content/plugins/wp-symposium/get_album_item.php?size parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2023
The wp-symposium plugin vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-9414 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that affects versions through 15.8.1 of this popular WordPress plugin. This vulnerability specifically targets the get_album_item.php script within the plugin's directory structure, where the size parameter fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into the application's output. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of image album items and demonstrates a classic input validation weakness that has been documented under CWE-79 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog. The vulnerability operates by allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the size parameter, which are then executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view affected album items. This type of vulnerability falls squarely within the ATT&CK framework's technique T1190 for exploitation through web applications and represents a significant risk to WordPress site integrity and user security.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the plugin processes the size parameter without adequate sanitization or output encoding. When a user visits a page that displays album items, the get_album_item.php script retrieves the size parameter from the query string and incorporates it directly into HTML output without proper validation or encoding. This allows an attacker to inject malicious JavaScript code that executes in the browser context of legitimate users who view the affected content. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication to exploit and can affect any user who accesses pages containing the vulnerable album items. Attackers can leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The plugin's failure to implement proper input validation mechanisms demonstrates a lack of adherence to secure coding practices that would typically be enforced through input sanitization and output encoding controls.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-9414 extends beyond simple script execution and can result in significant security compromise for WordPress installations using the affected plugin. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can establish persistent access to user sessions, potentially gaining administrative privileges if users with elevated permissions view the malicious content. The vulnerability affects the entire WordPress ecosystem where the plugin is installed, making it a widespread concern for site administrators who may not immediately detect the compromise. The attack surface is particularly broad as any user who views album content could be affected, including site visitors, contributors, and administrators. This vulnerability also creates potential for data exfiltration and can be used as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the compromised environment. The lack of authentication requirements makes this attack vector particularly attractive to threat actors who seek to maximize their impact with minimal effort.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-9414 should prioritize immediate remediation through plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability. Site administrators must ensure they are running the latest version of the wp-symposium plugin, as the vulnerability was resolved in subsequent releases through proper input sanitization and output encoding. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation measures that filter and sanitize all user-supplied data before processing, particularly for parameters used in dynamic content generation. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of defense against XSS attacks by restricting script execution and preventing unauthorized code injection. Regular security auditing of WordPress plugins and themes remains essential for identifying similar vulnerabilities in other components of the web application stack. Security monitoring should include detection of malicious script injection attempts and anomalous user behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Network-based intrusion detection systems can be configured to identify and alert on suspicious query parameters that match known XSS attack patterns, providing early warning capabilities for potential exploitation attempts.