CVE-2019-14950 in wp-live-chat-support Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The wp-live-chat-support plugin before 8.0.27 for WordPress has XSS via the GDPR page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-14950 affects the wp-live-chat-support plugin for WordPress, specifically versions prior to 8.0.27. This represents a cross-site scripting vulnerability that emerges through the plugin's handling of data on the GDPR page, which is a critical component for websites complying with European Union data protection regulations. The issue manifests when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized or validated before being rendered on the page, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the web application's response.
The technical flaw resides in the insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the plugin's GDPR page implementation. When administrators or users navigate to the GDPR settings page, the plugin fails to adequately sanitize parameters or data elements that are directly reflected in the HTML output. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically classified as stored XSS when the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and executed whenever the page is loaded. The attack vector exploits the plugin's lack of proper context-aware output encoding, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that can execute in the browser context of legitimate users who visit the affected page.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface the website, steal sensitive information, or redirect users to malicious sites. When an attacker successfully injects malicious JavaScript through the GDPR page, they can potentially access user sessions, extract cookies, or perform actions on behalf of authenticated users with elevated privileges. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in the context of GDPR compliance pages because these areas often contain sensitive configuration data and user information, making them prime targets for exploitation. The vulnerability can be exploited by both unauthenticated attackers who manipulate parameters and authenticated attackers who leverage their privileges to inject payloads into the plugin's administrative interface.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-14950 require immediate patching of the wp-live-chat-support plugin to version 8.0.27 or later, which contains the necessary sanitization and encoding fixes. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as input validation at multiple layers, proper output encoding for all dynamic content, and regular security scanning of WordPress installations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of validating all user inputs and properly encoding output regardless of the context, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1213.002 for Data from Information Repositories. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious payloads, while maintaining regular monitoring of plugin updates and security advisories. The incident highlights the critical need for maintaining up-to-date security practices in content management systems and underscores the importance of following secure coding principles such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten, particularly focusing on input validation and output encoding as primary defense mechanisms.