CVE-2016-11001 in user-submitted-posts Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The user-submitted-posts plugin before 20160215 for WordPress has XSS via the user-submitted-content field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-11001 affects the user-submitted-posts plugin for WordPress versions prior to 20160215, representing a classic cross-site scripting flaw that undermines web application security. This issue resides within the plugin's handling of user-submitted content, specifically in the user-submitted-content field where malicious input can be executed without proper sanitization or validation. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input filtering mechanisms that fail to properly escape or encode user-provided data before rendering it on web pages, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious scripts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without adequate validation or escaping. The flaw occurs when user-generated content containing malicious scripts is stored in the database and subsequently retrieved for display on WordPress pages. Attackers can exploit this by submitting carefully crafted payloads through the user-submitted-content field that contain javascript code or other malicious scripts. When other users view the affected pages, their browsers execute these scripts within the context of the vulnerable WordPress site, potentially compromising user sessions or redirecting them to malicious locations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with significant capabilities to manipulate user experiences and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability can be leveraged to steal cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive data from authenticated users, enabling session hijacking attacks. Additionally, attackers can use the XSS vector to redirect users to phishing sites or inject malicious advertisements, creating a vector for further exploitation. The attack surface is particularly concerning in WordPress environments where multiple users interact with user-submitted content, as the vulnerability can affect both administrators and regular users who view compromised content.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 20160215 or later, which contains the necessary patches to properly sanitize user-submitted content. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar issues in other custom plugins or themes. Security measures should include regular vulnerability assessments of WordPress installations, implementation of content security policies to limit script execution, and monitoring of user-submitted content for malicious patterns. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for script injection, emphasizing the need for proper input sanitization and output encoding as primary defensive measures. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security audits to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their WordPress installations.