CVE-2022-4750 in WP Responsive Testimonials Slider and Widget
Summary
by MITRE • 02/21/2023
The WP Responsive Testimonials Slider And Widget WordPress plugin through 1.5 does not validate and escape some of its shortcode attributes before outputting them back in a page/post where the shortcode is embed, which could allow users with the contributor role and above to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/25/2023
The WP Responsive Testimonials Slider And Widget WordPress plugin version 1.5 and earlier contains a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that affects WordPress installations. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation and sanitization of shortcode attributes within the plugin's implementation. The flaw allows authenticated users with contributor level permissions or higher to inject malicious scripts into testimonials that are then executed when other users view pages containing the affected shortcode. The vulnerability specifically impacts the plugin's handling of user-supplied data in its shortcode attributes, creating a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited across multiple user sessions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which describes cross-site scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly incorporated into web pages without proper validation or escaping. The plugin fails to implement adequate input sanitization measures when processing shortcode parameters, allowing malicious payloads to be stored in the WordPress database and subsequently executed whenever the testimonials are rendered on web pages. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that once an attacker successfully injects malicious code, the payload persists until manually removed from the database, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems where multiple contributors may have access to the plugin functionality.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform session hijacking, deface websites, steal sensitive user information, or redirect victims to malicious domains. Contributors and higher-level users can leverage this vulnerability to compromise the entire WordPress installation, potentially leading to full administrative access if combined with other exploitation techniques. The vulnerability affects the plugin's shortcode processing functionality where testimonial data is rendered, creating a persistent threat that can impact any visitor to pages containing the compromised testimonials. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit the XSS vector to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser context, potentially leading to data exfiltration or further compromise of the WordPress environment.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of the affected plugin to version 1.6 or later where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and output escaping. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including role-based access controls, regular security audits of installed plugins, and monitoring for suspicious shortcode usage. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization practices and the need for plugins to implement comprehensive security measures when handling user-supplied data in web applications. Organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to add defense-in-depth layers against similar exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566, representing the initial access phase where adversaries leverage web application vulnerabilities to establish persistent access points within target environments.