CVE-2016-1000143 in photoxhibit Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Reflected XSS in wordpress plugin photoxhibit v2.1.8
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-1000143 represents a reflected cross-site scripting flaw within the wordpress plugin photoxhibit version 2.1.8. This security weakness occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the plugin's handling of HTTP request parameters that are directly echoed back to users without adequate output encoding or validation mechanisms.
The technical exploitation of this reflected XSS vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing crafted script code within the plugin's input parameters. When a victim clicks on this malicious link and the vulnerable plugin processes the request, the embedded script code gets executed within the victim's browser context. This allows the attacker to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, where improper input validation leads to script execution in user browsers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with persistent access to user sessions within the wordpress environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized administrative access to wordpress sites, manipulate content, or establish backdoor access through stolen authentication tokens. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that attackers must actively convince victims to click on malicious links, making it a client-side attack vector that requires social engineering components for successful exploitation.
Security professionals should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by upgrading to a patched version of the photoxhibit plugin or implementing temporary mitigations such as input validation filters at the web application firewall level. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding practices in web development, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1213 which covers data from information repositories. Organizations should also implement comprehensive security testing procedures including dynamic application security testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in other plugins and themes within their wordpress installations.