CVE-2016-10872 in ultimate-member Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The ultimate-member plugin before 1.3.40 for WordPress has XSS on the login form.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2023
The CVE-2016-10872 vulnerability affects the ultimate-member WordPress plugin version 1.3.40 and earlier, presenting a cross-site scripting flaw within the login form functionality. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's authentication interface, creating a persistent security risk for WordPress installations. The flaw specifically targets the login form processing where user inputs are not adequately escaped or filtered before being rendered back to the browser, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of user-supplied data within the plugin's login form processing logic. When users enter credentials or other form fields, the plugin fails to implement proper sanitization measures before displaying or processing this information. This creates an environment where attackers can craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of other users' browsers when they interact with the vulnerable login form. The vulnerability is classified as a classic reflected cross-site scripting issue under CWE-79, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform session hijacking, defacement of user accounts, or redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could exploit this flaw by injecting malicious JavaScript code into the login form that would execute when legitimate users attempt to authenticate. This could result in the theft of login credentials, unauthorized access to user accounts, or the deployment of additional malicious payloads. The vulnerability affects all WordPress installations using the ultimate-member plugin in the affected versions, making it particularly dangerous given the widespread adoption of this plugin.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10872 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.3.40 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including input validation at multiple layers, output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security audits of WordPress plugins. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213, which covers data from information repositories, as it allows for the extraction of sensitive user information through session manipulation. Network administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious patterns in login form submissions to detect potential exploitation attempts.