CVE-2019-15778 in woo-variation-gallery Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
The woo-variation-gallery plugin before 1.1.29 for WordPress has XSS.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2023
The CVE-2019-15778 vulnerability affects the woo-variation-gallery plugin for WordPress, specifically versions prior to 1.1.29, and represents a cross-site scripting flaw that poses significant security risks to e-commerce websites. This vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, allowing malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. The issue stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data when processing variation gallery configurations, creating an attack vector that can be exploited through various means including administrative interfaces and frontend user interactions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for WordPress sites utilizing WooCommerce for online commerce operations, as it could enable attackers to execute malicious code in the context of a victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability occurs when the plugin processes user input without adequate sanitization before rendering it in HTML output contexts. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious payloads that exploit the plugin's handling of variation gallery settings, potentially injecting script tags or other malicious content into the plugin's administrative interfaces or product variation displays. The vulnerability manifests as a classic reflected XSS attack where malicious scripts are executed in the browser of unsuspecting users who view pages containing the tainted data. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications, and represents a critical weakness in the input validation and output encoding mechanisms of the affected plugin. The attack surface is expanded by the plugin's integration with WooCommerce's product variation system, where users can define multiple gallery configurations for different product variations.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-15778 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains that compromise user sessions and potentially lead to full system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could hijack user sessions, steal sensitive information such as cookies or authentication tokens, and perform unauthorized actions within the WordPress administrative interface. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where administrators may be tricked into viewing malicious content through crafted product variation galleries or administrative settings. Additionally, the attack could facilitate privilege escalation attacks if the compromised user has administrative privileges, allowing attackers to gain full control over the WordPress installation. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers Scripting and T1547.001 which addresses Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder, as the compromised system could be used to establish persistent access through malicious scripts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-15778 primarily focus on immediate plugin updates to version 1.1.29 or later, which contain the necessary fixes for proper input sanitization and output escaping. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, implementing content security policies to limit script execution, and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. The WordPress security community recommends maintaining up-to-date plugins and themes as a fundamental defense mechanism, as outdated components represent the majority of security vulnerabilities in WordPress installations. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads attempting to exploit XSS vulnerabilities, and establish security monitoring procedures that can identify unauthorized modifications to plugin configurations or user session hijacking attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing during plugin development and the necessity of robust input validation practices in web applications to prevent such critical flaws from reaching production environments.