CVE-2017-14751 in Intense WP Jobs Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The Intense WP "WP Jobs" plugin 1.5 for WordPress has XSS, related to "title."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/14/2021
The CVE-2017-14751 vulnerability affects the Intense WP "WP Jobs" plugin version 1.5 for WordPress, representing a cross-site scripting flaw that specifically targets the plugin's title parameter handling. This vulnerability falls under the category of client-side injection attacks and demonstrates a critical security oversight in how user-supplied input is processed and rendered within the WordPress administrative interface. The vulnerability exists within the plugin's job posting functionality where titles are not properly sanitized before being displayed back to users, creating an exploitable vector for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding practices within the plugin's codebase. When administrators or users view job listings that contain specially crafted title parameters, the malicious JavaScript code embedded within these titles executes within the context of the victim's browser session. This flaw aligns with CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a common vulnerability where untrusted data is incorporated into web pages without proper validation or encoding. The vulnerability specifically impacts the plugin's rendering logic where title values are directly inserted into HTML output without appropriate sanitization measures, making it susceptible to injection attacks that can bypass standard security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. An attacker who can manipulate job titles through the plugin's interface can potentially compromise the administrative sessions of WordPress users who view affected listings. This creates a significant risk for organizations relying on the plugin for job posting management, as the vulnerability can be exploited by both authenticated and unauthenticated attackers depending on the plugin's configuration and access controls. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal privileges to exploit and can affect multiple users who interact with the affected plugin functionality.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-14751 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability through proper input sanitization and output encoding. Organizations should implement additional defensive measures including content security policy headers to limit script execution, regular security audits of installed plugins, and monitoring for suspicious activity in job posting submissions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adhering to secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and ATT&CK framework's T1211 technique for Exploitation for Credential Access. System administrators should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads targeting known XSS vectors, while maintaining comprehensive backup procedures to quickly restore systems if exploitation occurs. Regular patch management processes must be enforced to ensure all WordPress plugins and themes remain current with security updates from their respective developers.