CVE-2017-18505 in twitter-plugin Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The twitter-plugin plugin before 2.55 for WordPress has XSS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2023
The CVE-2017-18505 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the twitter-plugin WordPress plugin version 2.54 and earlier. This security weakness specifically affects WordPress websites that utilize the twitter-plugin for displaying Twitter feeds or integrating Twitter functionality into their content management system. The vulnerability arises from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's code implementation, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary web scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The technical flaw manifests when the plugin fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input data before rendering it in web pages. This insufficient sanitization creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious javascript code through various input vectors such as tweet content, user profiles, or configuration parameters. When legitimate users access pages containing the vulnerable plugin output, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the web application's input handling mechanisms, aligning with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack vectors including credential harvesting through session cookie theft, defacement of website content, and redirection to phishing sites. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can manipulate the Twitter feed display functionality to inject malicious code that persists across multiple user sessions. The plugin's widespread adoption within WordPress ecosystems amplifies the potential impact, as numerous websites may be simultaneously vulnerable. This vulnerability also enables attackers to perform persistent XSS attacks that can remain undetected for extended periods, allowing for continuous monitoring of user activities or unauthorized access to privileged accounts.
Organizations should immediately update their WordPress installations to version 2.55 or later of the twitter-plugin to remediate this vulnerability. The patch addresses the input sanitization issues by implementing proper escaping and encoding of user-supplied data before rendering in web pages. Additionally, administrators should implement web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injection attempts, while monitoring web server logs for evidence of exploitation attempts. Security hardening practices including input validation, output encoding, and regular security audits should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the T1059.007 technique for scripting, while the CWE classification of 79 provides the foundation for understanding the input validation weakness that enables the exploitation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potential XSS vulnerabilities within WordPress plugins and themes that may present similar risks to the organization's digital infrastructure.