CVE-2016-1000136 in heat-trackr Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Reflected XSS in wordpress plugin heat-trackr v1.0
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1000136 represents a reflected cross-site scripting flaw within the heat-trackr wordpress plugin version 1.0. This security weakness resides in the plugin's handling of user input parameters, specifically in how it processes and displays data from HTTP request variables without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The vulnerability occurs when the plugin fails to validate or escape input data before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary javascript code into the victim's browser context.
The technical implementation of this reflected XSS vulnerability stems from the plugin's inadequate input validation practices and improper output encoding procedures. When users interact with the plugin's functionality, particularly through URL parameters or form submissions, the application directly incorporates these values into HTML responses without sufficient sanitization. This allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing javascript payloads that get executed in the context of legitimate users who visit the affected pages. The vulnerability is classified as reflected because the malicious script is reflected off the web server in response to the user's request, rather than being stored on the server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft or session hijacking. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute malicious code in the victim's browser, potentially leading to complete compromise of user sessions, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability affects any wordpress installation using the heat-trackr plugin version 1.0, making it particularly concerning given the widespread adoption of wordpress platforms. The reflected nature of the attack means that exploitation requires user interaction with a specially crafted URL, but once executed, the malicious payload can persist for the duration of the user's session or until the browser is closed.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1566, which encompasses the initial access techniques involving malicious web content. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of the heat-trackr plugin, which likely includes proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms. Additionally, web application firewalls can provide additional protection layers, though the most effective defense remains proper code review and implementation of secure coding practices including parameterized queries, input validation, and output encoding. The vulnerability underscores the importance of regularly updating third-party components and maintaining comprehensive security testing procedures to identify and remediate similar flaws in wordpress plugins and other web applications.