CVE-2016-10112 in WooCommerce Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the WooCommerce plugin before 2.6.9 for WordPress allows remote authenticated administrators to inject arbitrary web script or HTML by providing crafted tax-rate table values in CSV format.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2020
The CVE-2016-10112 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the WooCommerce plugin for WordPress, affecting versions prior to 2.6.9. This vulnerability specifically targets authenticated administrator users who possess the capability to manipulate tax rate data through CSV import functionality. The flaw resides in the plugin's handling of imported tax rate tables, where crafted malicious values can be embedded within the CSV format to execute arbitrary web scripts or HTML code in the context of the victim's browser. The vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as CWE-79, which categorizes it as a classic cross-site scripting weakness where untrusted data is improperly sanitized before being rendered in web pages.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to first gain administrative access to a WordPress site running an affected version of WooCommerce. Once authenticated, the attacker can leverage the CSV import functionality to upload malicious tax rate data containing embedded scripts. When the system processes these values during tax rate calculations or display operations, the malicious code executes in the context of other administrators or users who view the affected pages. This creates a persistent XSS vector that can be used to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions, or redirect users to malicious sites. The vulnerability specifically impacts the tax rate management interface within WooCommerce's administrative dashboard, where CSV imports are processed without adequate input validation or output encoding.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-10112 extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with a potential foothold for more extensive compromise within the WordPress environment. Administrators who import tax rate data regularly become prime targets for exploitation, particularly in environments where multiple administrators have access to the system. The vulnerability can be leveraged to establish persistent backdoors, escalate privileges, or conduct session hijacking attacks that could lead to complete system compromise. Given that WooCommerce is one of the most widely used e-commerce plugins for WordPress, the potential attack surface is extensive, with numerous websites running vulnerable versions. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, where attackers can execute malicious scripts through web-based interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10112 should prioritize immediate patching of the WooCommerce plugin to version 2.6.9 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization for CSV imports. Organizations should implement additional security controls such as restricting CSV import permissions to only the most trusted administrators, implementing web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities, and conducting regular security audits of plugin configurations. Network segmentation and monitoring of administrative activities can help detect unusual import patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices in web applications, particularly around input validation and output encoding, as recommended by OWASP Top Ten and other security standards. Regular security assessments of WordPress installations and their plugins should include checks for known vulnerabilities and adherence to security best practices to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.