CVE-2019-14774 in woo-variation-swatches Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The woo-variation-swatches (aka Variation Swatches for WooCommerce) plugin 1.0.61 for WordPress allows XSS via the wp-admin/admin.php?page=woo-variation-swatches-settings tab parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2023
The CVE-2019-14774 vulnerability resides within the woo-variation-swatches plugin version 1.0.61 for WordPress, representing a cross-site scripting flaw that compromises the security of administrative interfaces. This plugin, designed to enhance WooCommerce product variation displays with visual swatches, introduces a dangerous input validation weakness that affects the WordPress administration panel. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the plugin processes the tab parameter within the wp-admin/admin.php?page=woo-variation-swatches-settings URL structure, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can inject harmful scripts into the admin interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization and output encoding of user-supplied parameters within the plugin's administrative settings page. When administrators navigate to the variation swatches settings interface, the tab parameter is directly incorporated into the page rendering process without proper validation or sanitization measures. This oversight allows attackers to craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that execute within the context of the authenticated administrator's browser session. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses in input validation and output encoding practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly severe given the privileged nature of the affected interface. An attacker who successfully exploits this XSS flaw can execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the administrator's browser, potentially leading to complete compromise of the WordPress installation. The attacker could modify plugin settings, inject malicious code into product pages, access sensitive customer data, or even escalate privileges within the WordPress environment. This vulnerability particularly threatens e-commerce sites where the administrator has access to sensitive financial and customer information, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to exploit the administrative interface for broader system compromise.
Security mitigations for CVE-2019-14774 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that properly sanitize the tab parameter before processing. Administrators should implement additional defensive measures including strict input validation for all administrative parameters, proper output encoding of dynamic content, and regular security audits of installed plugins. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and ATT&CK framework, specifically addressing techniques related to web application vulnerabilities and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to mitigate the impact of potential XSS exploitation attempts, while maintaining comprehensive monitoring of administrative interface access patterns to detect anomalous activities that may indicate exploitation attempts.