CVE-2021-25005 in SEUR Oficial Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/17/2022
The SEUR Oficial WordPress plugin before 1.7.0 does not sanitize and escape some of its settings allowing high privilege users to perform Cross-Site Scripting attacks even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-25005 affects the SEUR Oficial WordPress plugin version 1.7.0 and earlier, presenting a significant cross-site scripting risk that undermines the security posture of WordPress installations. This flaw specifically targets the plugin's handling of user settings where insufficient sanitization and escaping mechanisms leave the system vulnerable to malicious script injection. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows high privilege users to execute XSS attacks even when the WordPress environment has restricted the unfiltered_html capability, which typically serves as a critical security barrier against such exploits.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input within its administrative settings interface. When high privilege users access the plugin's configuration options, the system does not adequately filter or escape potentially malicious content that could be entered into various input fields. This inadequate input validation creates an attack surface where crafted scripts can be injected and subsequently executed in the browsers of other users who view the affected administrative pages. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications, and demonstrates how insufficient output escaping can compromise the integrity of web interfaces.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it represents a privilege escalation vector that could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions. High privilege users, who typically have elevated permissions within the WordPress environment, can leverage this flaw to inject malicious code that may persist across user sessions and potentially compromise the entire WordPress installation. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that it operates even when WordPress security measures are properly configured to restrict unfiltered_html capabilities, indicating that the plugin's code does not adhere to proper security standards and best practices. This could allow attackers to bypass standard WordPress security controls and establish persistent footholds within the affected systems.
Organizations should immediately update to version 1.7.0 or later of the SEUR Oficial plugin to remediate this vulnerability, as no effective workarounds exist for the current implementation. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive security auditing of all installed WordPress plugins to identify similar sanitization issues and ensure that all user inputs are properly validated and escaped before being processed or displayed. Security teams should also implement monitoring for suspicious administrative activities and consider implementing additional security measures such as content security policies to limit the impact of potential XSS attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following established security frameworks and standards including the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines to ensure that web applications properly handle user input and maintain secure coding practices throughout their development lifecycle.