CVE-2017-18560 in content-audit Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The content-audit plugin before 1.9.2 for WordPress has XSS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/28/2023
The CVE-2017-18560 vulnerability represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the content-audit plugin for WordPress systems prior to version 1.9.2. This vulnerability arises from inadequate input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's codebase, specifically affecting how user-supplied data is processed and displayed within the WordPress administrative interface. The issue stems from the plugin's failure to properly escape or filter user-controllable parameters before rendering them in HTML contexts, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's response.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when administrators or users interact with the content-audit plugin's interface, particularly during operations involving content review or audit logging activities. The flaw exists in the plugin's handling of user-provided data through GET or POST parameters that are directly incorporated into HTML output without appropriate sanitization measures. This allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that execute within the context of other users' browsers when they view affected pages or interact with the plugin's functionality. The vulnerability maps to CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in software applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 related to spearphishing attachments that can lead to credential theft through web-based attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-18560 extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers to potentially escalate privileges within the WordPress environment. When successful, the XSS attack could allow threat actors to steal administrator session cookies, modify content, inject malicious advertisements, or redirect users to phishing sites. The vulnerability particularly affects WordPress installations where the content-audit plugin is active, making it a significant concern for organizations relying on this specific plugin for content management or auditing processes. Attackers could leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive content, manipulate audit logs, or compromise the integrity of the WordPress installation through persistent script injection attacks that execute in the context of authenticated users.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-18560 primarily focus on immediate plugin updates to version 1.9.2 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the input validation and output sanitization issues. Security administrators should also implement additional defensive measures including web application firewall rules that can detect and block suspicious script patterns in plugin endpoints, regular monitoring of audit logs for signs of exploitation attempts, and ensuring that all WordPress plugins undergo security review before deployment. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution capabilities within the WordPress environment, and conduct regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other installed plugins. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping WordPress plugins updated and following secure coding practices that prevent improper input handling and output encoding in web applications.