CVE-2021-24569 in Cookie Notice & Compliance for GDPR and CCPA Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 09/28/2021
The Cookie Notice & Compliance for GDPR / CCPA WordPress plugin before 2.1.2 does not escape the value of its Button Text setting when outputting it in an attribute in the frontend, allowing high privilege users such as admin to perform Cross-Site Scripting even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-24569 affects the Cookie Notice & Compliance for GDPR / CCPA WordPress plugin version 2.1.1 and earlier, representing a critical cross-site scripting flaw that undermines the security of WordPress websites. This issue specifically targets the plugin's handling of user-controllable input within its frontend output mechanisms, creating a persistent vector for malicious code injection that can be exploited by high-privilege users.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to properly escape the Button Text setting value when rendering it as an HTML attribute in the frontend output. This inadequate input sanitization creates a direct pathway for attackers to inject malicious scripts into the plugin's rendered output, particularly when the Button Text setting contains script tags or other malicious payloads. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates even when the WordPress environment has restricted the unfiltered_html capability, which typically prevents users from injecting raw HTML or JavaScript into posts and pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple XSS attacks, as it allows administrators and other high-privilege users to execute malicious code within the context of the victim's browser session. This can lead to complete compromise of the WordPress admin interface, unauthorized modifications to website content, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within the affected network. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only the ability to modify plugin settings, which for administrators is typically an available privilege level.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for social engineering through malicious web content. The issue represents a classic case of insufficient output escaping in web applications, where user-provided data is directly embedded into HTML attributes without proper sanitization. Organizations should immediately implement the patch available in version 2.1.2 of the plugin, as this update addresses the core escaping mechanism that enables the XSS vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should conduct thorough security audits of all installed plugins, particularly those handling user input, and ensure that proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms are implemented throughout the application stack. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper data sanitization in web applications and serves as a reminder that even seemingly benign plugin features can create significant security risks when input validation is inadequate.