CVE-2015-9436 in dynamic-widgets Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The dynamic-widgets plugin before 1.5.11 for WordPress has XSS via the wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?action=term_tree prefix or widget_id parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2024
The CVE-2015-9436 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw in the dynamic-widgets WordPress plugin affecting versions prior to 1.5.11. This security weakness resides within the plugin's handling of user input through the wp-admin/admin-ajax.php endpoint, specifically when processing the term_tree prefix or widget_id parameters. The vulnerability exploits the plugin's failure to properly sanitize and validate input data before incorporating it into dynamic content generation processes. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious payloads that get executed in the context of authenticated admin users' browsers, potentially leading to unauthorized actions and privilege escalation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding practices within the dynamic-widgets plugin codebase. When the plugin processes requests through the admin-ajax.php endpoint with the term_tree prefix or widget_id parameters, it fails to implement proper sanitization measures that would prevent malicious scripts from being injected into the response. This allows attackers to inject arbitrary javascript code that gets executed when administrative users view affected pages. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the WordPress administrative interface, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by attackers who have gained access to user accounts with sufficient privileges to interact with the plugin's functionality.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-9436 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a range of malicious activities through compromised administrator sessions. Once an attacker successfully injects malicious code, they can potentially access sensitive administrative functions, modify content, install additional malware, or exfiltrate data from the WordPress installation. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges, as it targets authenticated users with access to the WordPress admin interface. This makes it particularly attractive to attackers who may have obtained credentials through other means, as it provides a direct path to administrative control of the affected WordPress site. The attack vector is typically executed through carefully crafted URLs that include the malicious payload in the affected parameters, making it difficult to detect through standard network monitoring.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 Cross-site Scripting and follows patterns commonly associated with the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as it enables attackers to execute JavaScript code within the context of legitimate user sessions. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching to version 1.5.11 or later, as this represents the official fix for the XSS vulnerability. Additional mitigation strategies include implementing proper input validation at the application level, enforcing Content Security Policy headers, and monitoring for unusual patterns in admin-ajax.php requests. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious parameter values and conduct regular security audits of WordPress plugins to identify potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. The incident highlights the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date WordPress plugins and implementing robust security practices to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities in web applications.