CVE-2018-18019 in Tribulant Slideshow Gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
XSS exists in the Tribulant Slideshow Gallery plugin 1.6.8 for WordPress via the wp-admin/admin.php?page=slideshow-slides&method=save Slide[title], Slide[media_file], or Slide[image_url] parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-18019 represents a cross-site scripting weakness within the Tribulant Slideshow Gallery WordPress plugin version 1.6.8. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization mechanisms in the plugin's administrative interface, specifically affecting the slide management functionality. The vulnerability manifests when administrators interact with the plugin's backend through the wp-admin/admin.php?page=slideshow-slides&method=save endpoint, where user-supplied parameters are not adequately filtered before being processed and stored within the WordPress environment.
The technical flaw stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input submitted through the Slide[title], Slide[media_file], or Slide[image_url] parameters. When administrators save slide configurations through the affected administrative interface, the plugin directly incorporates these parameters into database storage without appropriate validation or encoding mechanisms. This creates an environment where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts into the slide parameters, which then get executed whenever the affected pages are rendered to authenticated users with administrative privileges. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.008 for script injection attacks targeting web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or display issues, as it provides attackers with a potential vector for privilege escalation and persistent malicious activity within the WordPress environment. An attacker who can influence the parameters through the administrative interface could execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of an administrator's browser session, potentially leading to full administrative compromise of the WordPress site. This risk is particularly severe because the affected parameters are used in the slideshow gallery configuration, which is typically accessed by users with elevated privileges. The vulnerability enables attackers to perform actions such as stealing administrative cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or executing unauthorized modifications to the slideshow content and potentially the broader site configuration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-18019 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as the original affected version 1.6.8 contained no built-in protections against this specific attack vector. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures within their WordPress environments, ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are properly sanitized before processing. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide additional protection against script execution in case of successful injection attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual administrative activities or parameter modifications that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, and administrators should be trained to recognize and report suspicious administrative activities. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current plugin versions and implementing proper access controls to limit the potential impact of such flaws within WordPress environments.