CVE-2016-10936 in wp-polls Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The wp-polls plugin before 2.73.1 for WordPress has XSS via the Poll bar option.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2023
The wp-polls plugin vulnerability CVE-2016-10936 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that affected WordPress installations using the wp-polls plugin version 2.73.1 and earlier. This vulnerability specifically targeted the Poll bar option functionality within the plugin, creating a persistent security risk for WordPress users who relied on this polling feature. The issue emerged from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into poll bar displays.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurred through the Poll bar option parameter, where user input was not properly sanitized before being rendered in the web browser. When administrators or users viewed poll results containing malicious script code, the browser would execute this code in the context of the victim's session, potentially leading to unauthorized actions, session hijacking, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 - Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation, which specifically addresses the failure to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into web pages.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability posed significant risks to WordPress site administrators and users who had enabled the Poll bar feature. Attackers could craft malicious poll bar entries that would execute when any user viewed the poll results, potentially leading to account takeovers, data breaches, or the deployment of additional malware. The impact was particularly severe because the vulnerability affected the core functionality of the polling system, making it a prime target for exploitation in targeted attacks against WordPress sites. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.008 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as it enabled attackers to execute malicious scripts in the browser context of authenticated users.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2016-10936 required immediate patching of the wp-polls plugin to version 2.73.1 or later, which contained proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Security administrators should have implemented comprehensive monitoring of their WordPress installations to detect any unauthorized modifications to polling configurations. Additionally, the vulnerability highlighted the importance of input validation at multiple layers within web applications, particularly in plugins that handle user-generated content. Organizations should have enforced stricter security policies regarding plugin updates and conducted regular security assessments of third-party WordPress components to prevent similar vulnerabilities from affecting their digital infrastructure. The remediation process also emphasized the need for proper security testing procedures during plugin development and the implementation of automated security scanning tools to identify such vulnerabilities before they could be exploited in production environments.