CVE-2018-5672 in booking-calendar Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the booking-calendar plugin 2.1.7 for WordPress. XSS exists via the wp-admin/admin.php form_field5[label] parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-5672 affects the booking-calendar plugin version 2.1.7 for WordPress, representing a cross-site scripting weakness that poses significant security risks to affected websites. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's administrative interface, specifically targeting the form_field5[label] parameter in the wp-admin/admin.php endpoint. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into the plugin's administrative forms, potentially compromising the security of WordPress installations that rely on this calendar booking functionality.
The technical flaw manifests when user-supplied data enters the system through the form_field5[label] parameter without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. This parameter is processed within the WordPress admin area, making it susceptible to exploitation by malicious actors who can craft specially crafted payloads to be executed in the context of other users' browsers. The vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically representing a stored XSS variant where malicious code can persist and affect multiple users who interact with the compromised administrative interface. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it targets the WordPress admin panel, which typically contains users with elevated privileges and access to critical system functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the compromised WordPress environment. Successful exploitation could allow threat actors to steal administrative credentials, modify booking data, inject malicious content into calendar displays, or even escalate privileges within the WordPress installation. The vulnerability's presence in the administrative interface means that any user with access to the booking calendar settings could potentially become a vector for broader attacks against the entire WordPress site. This represents a significant risk to businesses relying on booking systems for critical operations, as unauthorized access to calendar data could disrupt scheduling processes and compromise sensitive booking information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-5672 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as the original 2.1.7 release contains the exploitable flaw. System administrators should implement input validation measures at multiple layers, including WordPress filters and custom sanitization routines for administrative form parameters. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting administrative access to only essential personnel and implementing multi-factor authentication for elevated accounts. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect anomalous script injection patterns in admin interface requests, while regular security audits should verify that all WordPress plugins maintain current versions and proper security configurations. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of keeping all WordPress components updated and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of administrative interfaces to prevent similar XSS issues from compromising critical business systems. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.008 for Scripting and T1546.001 for System Script Modification, emphasizing the need for defensive measures against persistent script-based attacks in web application environments.