CVE-2016-1160 in WP Favorite Posts Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the WP Favorite Posts plugin before 1.6.6 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/03/2019
The CVE-2016-1160 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the WP Favorite Posts plugin for WordPress systems prior to version 1.6.6. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is a critical web application security weakness that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The vulnerability specifically affects WordPress environments where the WP Favorite Posts plugin is installed and active, creating a potential attack surface for malicious actors seeking to exploit user sessions or deface websites.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's codebase. Attackers can leverage this weakness through unspecified vectors to inject arbitrary web scripts or HTML content into the affected WordPress site. This occurs when user-supplied data is not properly escaped or filtered before being rendered in web pages, allowing malicious payloads to execute in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it enables attackers to perform actions such as stealing cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information from authenticated users who visit compromised pages.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for WordPress administrators and website owners who rely on the WP Favorite Posts plugin for functionality. The attack surface extends beyond simple script injection to include potential session hijacking, data exfiltration, and website defacement. When exploited, the vulnerability can allow attackers to execute malicious code in the browsers of unsuspecting users, potentially leading to full compromise of user accounts and unauthorized access to sensitive data. The impact is amplified in environments where users have administrative privileges or access to confidential information through the WordPress platform.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves updating the WP Favorite Posts plugin to version 1.6.6 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS flaw. Additionally, administrators should conduct thorough security audits of all installed WordPress plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities and ensure proper input validation is implemented across all user-facing interfaces. Implementing Content Security Policy headers and proper output encoding can provide additional protection against similar attacks, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1566 for credential access through web application vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious script injection attempts to detect potential exploitation of this or similar vulnerabilities in their WordPress environments.