CVE-2018-16254 in WP All Import Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
There is an XSS vulnerability in WP All Import plugin 3.4.9 for WordPress via action=options.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16254 represents a cross-site scripting flaw within the WP All Import plugin version 3.4.9 for WordPress platforms. This security weakness specifically manifests through the action=options parameter, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject harmful scripts into the web application's response. The WP All Import plugin serves as a powerful tool for importing data into WordPress sites, making it a critical component in many content management workflows. When users access the options page of this plugin, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate input parameters, particularly the action=options variable, which allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of other users' browsers.
This XSS vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a fundamental web application security flaw that occurs when an application includes untrusted data in web pages without proper validation or escaping. The attack vector specifically targets the plugin's administrative interface where legitimate users might be tricked into executing malicious scripts through crafted input. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious websites. Attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to escalate privileges within the WordPress environment or gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability are significant for WordPress administrators and website owners who rely on the WP All Import plugin for their data management tasks. When exploited, the XSS flaw allows attackers to execute malicious scripts in the browser of authenticated users, potentially compromising the entire WordPress installation. The attack typically requires social engineering to convince users to click on malicious links or visit compromised pages that contain the crafted payload. Since the vulnerability exists in the plugin's options handling mechanism, any user with sufficient privileges to access the plugin settings could become a target. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple administrators have access to the same WordPress instance, as the attack could potentially compromise any user session with access to the import functionality.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-16254 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as the developers have likely released patches to resolve the sanitization issues in the action=options parameter. Administrators should also implement proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other parts of their WordPress installations. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth measures to detect and block malicious payloads targeting this specific vulnerability. Regular security audits and penetration testing of WordPress environments should include checks for similar XSS vulnerabilities in third-party plugins and themes. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213 which covers data from information repositories, as attackers could potentially use this weakness to access or manipulate imported data through compromised administrative sessions. Organizations should also consider implementing content security policies and monitoring for unusual administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts.