CVE-2016-1000132 in enhanced-tooltipglossary Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Reflected XSS in wordpress plugin enhanced-tooltipglossary v3.2.8
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2016-1000132 represents a reflected cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the enhanced-tooltipglossary wordpress plugin version 3.2.8. This security weakness allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, exploiting the plugin's improper handling of user input parameters. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's tooltip functionality where user-supplied data is not adequately sanitized before being rendered in web responses. The reflected nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious input must be crafted to be included in a URL parameter and then executed when a victim clicks on the malicious link, making it particularly dangerous for targeted attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the plugin's codebase. When users interact with the tooltip glossary functionality, the plugin processes GET parameters without proper sanitization, allowing malicious payloads to be executed in the context of the victim's browser session. This flaw directly maps to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as weaknesses that occur when an application includes untrusted data in web pages without proper validation or encoding. The vulnerability exists in the plugin's handling of tooltip content, where user-provided terms and descriptions are reflected back to users without adequate security measures to prevent script execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with potential access to user sessions, enabling session hijacking and data theft. An attacker could craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by authenticated users, would execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the victim's browser context. This could lead to unauthorized access to WordPress admin panels, data exfiltration, or even the installation of malware through compromised user sessions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where multiple users interact with the same WordPress installation, as a successful exploitation could affect numerous users simultaneously. According to ATT&CK framework category T1190, this vulnerability represents a technique for exploiting web applications through reflected cross-site scripting, which is commonly used for initial access and privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-1000132 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the reflected XSS vulnerability, as the original vulnerable version 3.2.8 contains no built-in protections against malicious input. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation measures, including the use of Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts, and ensure all user input is properly encoded before being rendered in web pages. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security audits of their WordPress installations, monitoring for outdated plugins and themes that may contain known vulnerabilities. The implementation of web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers, while regular security training for users helps prevent social engineering attacks that might exploit this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing proper access controls and monitoring user activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. According to security best practices, maintaining updated security patches and conducting regular vulnerability assessments are essential for protecting against such reflected XSS attacks that target content management systems.