CVE-2017-16758 in Instagram Feed Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in admin/partials/uif-access-token-display.php in the Ultimate Instagram Feed plugin before 1.3 for WordPress allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the "access_token" parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2021
The CVE-2017-16758 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in the Ultimate Instagram Feed WordPress plugin, specifically within the admin/partials/uif-access-token-display.php file. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 1.3 and exposes WordPress administrators to significant security risks through improper input validation and output encoding practices. The flaw occurs when the plugin fails to adequately sanitize user-supplied data during the display of Instagram access tokens in the administrative interface, creating an avenue for malicious actors to execute arbitrary web scripts within the context of authenticated admin sessions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting as a code injection flaw where untrusted data is directly incorporated into web pages without proper sanitization or encoding. The vulnerability manifests through the "access_token" parameter, which serves as the primary injection vector for malicious payloads. When administrators view the access token display interface, the plugin fails to properly escape or encode the token value before rendering it in the HTML output, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the browser context of the logged-in administrator. This creates a persistent threat where attackers can manipulate the administrative interface to perform unauthorized actions, steal session cookies, or redirect users to malicious sites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it provides attackers with a potential pathway to gain full administrative control over affected WordPress installations. Since the vulnerability exists within the admin interface, successful exploitation could enable attackers to modify plugin settings, upload malicious files, create new administrator accounts, or even install backdoors for persistent access. The risk is particularly elevated because the vulnerability affects the administrative display functionality, meaning that any administrator who views the access token page becomes a potential victim of the attack. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where multiple administrators might interact with the plugin's interface. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting and T1566.001 for credential access, as it enables attackers to execute code and potentially harvest credentials through session hijacking.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-16758 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.3 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the XSS vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional security measures such as input validation and output encoding at multiple layers, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages. Web application firewalls can provide additional protection by filtering suspicious payloads, while regular security audits should verify that similar vulnerabilities do not exist in other components of the WordPress installation. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual administrative activities and access token manipulations, as these may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices in web applications, particularly within administrative interfaces where elevated privileges can be leveraged for maximum impact. Organizations should also consider implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced through third-party plugins or custom code implementations.