CVE-2015-9504 in weeklynews Theme
Summary
by MITRE
The weeklynews theme before 2.2.9 for WordPress has XSS via the s parameter.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-9504 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the weeklynews WordPress theme version 2.2.8 and earlier. This issue specifically affects the s parameter handling within the theme's search functionality, creating a persistent security weakness that could be exploited by malicious actors. The vulnerability resides in the theme's inability to properly sanitize user input before processing search queries, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of other users' browsers.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical web application security weakness according to the CWE standard. The flaw operates by accepting unsanitized input through the search parameter and then rendering it without proper HTML escaping or encoding mechanisms. When a victim visits a page that contains the malicious payload within the s parameter, their browser executes the injected script, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic input validation failure where the theme fails to implement proper output encoding for dynamic content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable more sophisticated attacks such as session manipulation, data exfiltration, or even privilege escalation if the targeted users have administrative privileges. Attackers could craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that would execute whenever legitimate users perform searches or browse pages that process the vulnerable parameter. The vulnerability affects WordPress installations using the weeklynews theme, making it particularly concerning for websites that rely on this specific theme for their presentation layer. The attack vector is relatively simple to exploit since it only requires crafting a malicious URL with the vulnerable s parameter, making it accessible to attackers with minimal technical expertise.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate upgrading to version 2.2.9 or later of the weeklynews theme, which contains the necessary input sanitization patches. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms should be enforced at the application level, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly escaped before being rendered in web pages. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other WordPress themes and plugins. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213 which involves data from information repositories, as the vulnerability enables unauthorized access to user data through script injection. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious search parameter patterns, and web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers against such attacks. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices in web application development, particularly in themes and plugins that handle user input.