CVE-2020-24316 in WP Plugin Rednumber Admin Menu
Summary
by MITRE
WP Plugin Rednumber Admin Menu v1.1 and lower does not sanitize the value of the "role" GET parameter before echoing it back out to the user. This results in a reflected XSS vulnerability that attackers can exploit with a specially crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-24316 affects the WP Plugin Rednumber Admin Menu version 1.1 and earlier, presenting a critical reflected cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security posture of WordPress installations. This vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's handling of user-supplied data, specifically the "role" parameter passed through GET requests. The flaw allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into web pages viewed by other users, creating a persistent vector for exploitation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input before rendering it within the web page context. When a user accesses a crafted URL containing malicious content within the "role" parameter, the plugin directly echoes this unsanitized data back to the browser without appropriate encoding or filtering mechanisms. This creates an ideal environment for reflected cross-site scripting attacks where the malicious payload executes in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and represents a classic example of reflected XSS as defined in the OWASP Top Ten.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the target environment. An attacker could craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by an authenticated administrator, would execute malicious scripts that could steal session cookies, modify plugin functionality, or even escalate privileges within the WordPress administration interface. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack payload does not need to be stored on the server, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through email phishing campaigns, malicious links in forums, or social engineering tactics. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1566 for phishing and T1059 for command and scripting interpreter, potentially enabling further compromise of the WordPress installation and underlying infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the sanitization flaw, as the vendor has likely released patches to resolve the issue. Organizations should implement web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious payloads targeting reflected XSS vulnerabilities, while also enforcing strict input validation policies across all user-supplied parameters. Security monitoring should include detection of anomalous URL patterns containing suspicious script tags or encoded payloads, and network administrators should consider implementing content security policies to limit script execution capabilities within the browser context. Additionally, regular security audits of installed WordPress plugins should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other third-party components, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar reflected XSS threats that could compromise the entire web application ecosystem.