CVE-2017-18575 in NewStatPress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The newstatpress plugin before 1.2.5 for WordPress has multiple stored XSS issues.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2023
The CVE-2017-18575 vulnerability affects the newstatpress plugin version 1.2.4 and earlier for WordPress, representing a critical security flaw that allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the context of a victim's browser. This vulnerability stems from improper input validation and sanitization within the plugin's codebase, specifically targeting areas where user-supplied data is stored and subsequently rendered without adequate security measures. The issue manifests as multiple stored cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers who gain the ability to inject malicious code into the plugin's data storage mechanisms.
The technical flaw occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize user input before storing it in the WordPress database and subsequently displaying it on various administrative pages or dashboard widgets. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that get stored in the plugin's data structures and then executed whenever legitimate users view pages where this data is rendered. This stored nature of the vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous because the malicious code persists even after the initial injection point, allowing attackers to maintain access and execute scripts across multiple user sessions. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of user data, referral URLs, and other statistical tracking information that the plugin collects and displays.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including credential theft, session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation within the WordPress environment. When exploited, the stored XSS vulnerabilities can allow attackers to steal administrator cookies, modify content, redirect users to malicious sites, or even install backdoors on compromised WordPress installations. The vulnerability affects not just individual users but entire WordPress networks, as the malicious scripts can execute against any user who views the affected plugin-generated pages, making it a significant threat to WordPress site security and user privacy.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-18575 primarily focus on immediate remediation through plugin updates to version 1.2.5 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the input validation issues. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, monitoring for unusual activity in plugin data storage, and implementing content security policies to limit the impact of potential XSS attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1566 for credential access through social engineering. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and input validation mechanisms to provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities in other components of their WordPress environments.