CVE-2022-1396 in Donorbox Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/25/2022
The Donorbox WordPress plugin before 7.1.7 does not sanitise and escape its Campaign URL settings before outputting it in an attribute, leading to a Stored Cross-Site Scripting issue even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1396 affects the Donorbox WordPress plugin version 7.1.6 and earlier, representing a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that can be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary scripts within the context of affected websites. This vulnerability specifically resides in how the plugin handles Campaign URL settings, which are critical configuration elements used for donation campaign management and tracking. The flaw exists in the plugin's output handling mechanism where user-provided input is not properly sanitized or escaped before being rendered in HTML attributes, creating an attack vector that can persist across multiple user sessions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output escaping practices within the Donorbox plugin codebase. When administrators configure campaign URLs through the plugin's administrative interface, the system fails to apply adequate sanitization filters to prevent malicious script injection. This occurs even when WordPress security measures such as restricting the unfiltered_html capability are in place, which typically prevents users from injecting raw HTML into posts and pages. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it bypasses standard WordPress security controls that are designed to prevent XSS attacks, making it a sophisticated threat that can affect even well-protected installations.
From an operational perspective, this stored XSS vulnerability presents significant risks to website administrators and end users who interact with the affected Donorbox plugin. Attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code through the Campaign URL settings, which then executes whenever the page containing the compromised data is loaded by any user. This allows for various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and potential data exfiltration from the compromised website. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that once injected, the malicious payload remains persistent and can affect multiple users over time without requiring repeated exploitation attempts, making it particularly dangerous for organizations that rely on the plugin for donation processing and management.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications, and it demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 which involves the use of malicious links or content to execute code on target systems. Organizations using the Donorbox plugin should immediately update to version 7.1.7 or later, as this release contains the necessary patches to address the sanitization and escaping issues in the plugin's handling of Campaign URL settings. Additionally, administrators should conduct thorough security reviews of all active plugins and themes to identify similar vulnerabilities in the WordPress ecosystem, while implementing proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms across all custom code and third-party components. The incident highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the critical need for proper sanitization of user input in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive data such as donation processing systems where trust and security are paramount.