CVE-2017-12200 in Ultimate Product Catalog Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The Etoile Ultimate Product Catalog plugin 4.2.11 for WordPress has XSS in the Add Product Manually component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2019
The CVE-2017-12200 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the Etoile Ultimate Product Catalog plugin version 4.2.11 for WordPress systems. This security weakness specifically affects the Add Product Manually component, which serves as a critical interface for administrators to input and manage product information within their e-commerce websites. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, creating an exploitable pathway for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the web application's response.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it within HTML output contexts. When administrators or authorized users interact with the Add Product Manually feature, the plugin processes product titles, descriptions, and other metadata without adequate filtering of potentially malicious input sequences. This allows attackers to craft specially formatted product entries containing script tags or other malicious payloads that execute within the browser context of authenticated users who subsequently view these products. The vulnerability is classified as a stored XSS attack since the malicious code persists in the database and executes every time the affected product information is displayed.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues, as it provides attackers with the capability to escalate privileges and compromise entire WordPress installations. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can execute JavaScript code in the context of any user who views the malicious product entries, potentially stealing session cookies, modifying product data, or redirecting users to malicious websites. This threat is particularly severe in e-commerce environments where administrators frequently interact with product catalogs, as it can lead to unauthorized modifications of product pricing, inventory data, or complete compromise of the online store's integrity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-12200 should prioritize immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 4.2.12 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. Administrators should also implement comprehensive input sanitization measures at the WordPress level, including the implementation of Content Security Policy headers to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, while regular security audits of installed plugins should be conducted to identify other potential vulnerabilities. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in product catalog modifications, and user access controls should be strictly enforced to limit administrative privileges to only essential personnel. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party components and implementing robust security practices throughout the WordPress ecosystem.