CVE-2017-18581 in time-sheets Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The time-sheets plugin before 1.5.0 for WordPress has XSS via the old timesheet list.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-18581 affects the time-sheets plugin for WordPress systems prior to version 1.5.0, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that compromises user security and system integrity. This vulnerability specifically manifests within the plugin's handling of old timesheet lists, where user input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered in web pages. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the timesheet display functionality, potentially enabling unauthorized access to user sessions and sensitive data.
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 the old timesheet list functionality, the plugin fails to properly escape or filter user-supplied data that may contain malicious script code. This creates an environment where attackers can craft specially crafted entries in the timesheet data that, when displayed, execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79, which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness where untrusted data is sent to a web browser without proper validation or encoding.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to WordPress installations utilizing the affected time-sheets plugin, particularly in environments where multiple users access shared systems or where sensitive time-tracking data is processed. Attackers could exploit this flaw to steal cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information from authenticated users, potentially leading to full system compromise. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as the malicious scripts could redirect users to phishing sites, modify displayed content, or even install additional malware on victim systems. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1531, which describes the use of credentials from password storage to maintain persistent access to compromised systems.
The remediation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate upgrading to version 1.5.0 or later of the time-sheets plugin, which includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms. System administrators should also implement additional security measures such as content security policies, regular security audits of installed plugins, and monitoring for suspicious user activity. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected plugins and ensure all WordPress components remain updated. The fix typically involves implementing proper HTML escaping for all user-supplied data before rendering and applying strict input validation to prevent malicious payloads from being stored or executed within the timesheet display functionality.