CVE-2018-16258 in WP All Import Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
There is an XSS vulnerability in WP All Import plugin 3.4.9 for WordPress via pmxi-admin-import custom_type. NOTE: The vendor states that this is not a vulnerability. WP All Import is only able to be used by a logged in administrator, and the action described can only be taken advantage of by a logged in administrator
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2018-16258 represents a cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the WP All Import plugin version 3.4.9 for WordPress platforms. This security weakness manifests through the pmxi-admin-import custom_type parameter, which creates an avenue for malicious code injection within the administrative interface. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's handling of user-supplied input in the import administration context, where unfiltered data enters the application's processing pipeline without proper sanitization measures. The flaw exists at the input validation and output encoding level where the plugin fails to adequately escape or filter user-provided parameters before they are rendered in the web interface. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical weakness in web application security that allows attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant despite the vendor's assertion that it cannot be exploited by unauthorized users. While the plugin's functionality is restricted to logged-in administrators, the nature of XSS vulnerabilities means that a compromised administrator account could be exploited to execute malicious scripts in the context of the victim administrator's session. The attack vector involves an administrator navigating to a maliciously crafted URL or page that triggers the XSS payload within the WP All Import administrative interface. This could potentially allow for session hijacking, credential theft, or the execution of arbitrary commands within the context of the administrator's privileges. The vulnerability represents a serious concern because administrators possess elevated privileges that can compromise entire WordPress installations, making such flaws particularly dangerous even when restricted to administrative users. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, which describes how attackers can leverage JavaScript execution capabilities in web applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization within the plugin's administrative import handling functions. When the pmxi-admin-import parameter is processed, the application fails to implement proper output encoding or input validation mechanisms that would prevent malicious script code from being executed in the browser context. The vulnerability exists because the plugin does not properly escape or filter the custom_type parameter before it is rendered in the HTML output of the administrative interface. This creates a persistent XSS scenario where malicious payloads can be stored and executed whenever the affected page is loaded by an administrator. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security practices in web application development where input validation is insufficient and output encoding is not consistently applied. The issue also reflects a broader concern in WordPress plugin security where third-party extensions may not adhere to proper security coding standards, even when they are designed for administrative use only. Organizations should implement comprehensive security measures including regular plugin audits, proper access controls, and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities to mitigate risks associated with such vulnerabilities. The vendor's position that this is not a vulnerability may be technically accurate from a privilege perspective, but from a security risk management standpoint, it represents a significant exposure that could be exploited through account compromise or privilege escalation scenarios.