CVE-2023-0065 in i2 Pros & Cons WordPress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/06/2023
The i2 Pros & Cons WordPress plugin through 1.3.1 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 • 03/31/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0065 affects the i2 Pros & Cons WordPress plugin version 1.3.1 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables stored cross-site scripting attacks through improper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. This issue specifically impacts the plugin's shortcode functionality where user-supplied attributes are not adequately sanitized before being rendered back to end users within web pages or posts where the shortcode is embedded. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it targets users with the contributor role and above, which includes content creators, editors, and administrators who can leverage this flaw to inject malicious scripts into the plugin's output.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper input validation and output escaping for shortcode attributes, creating a pathway for persistent XSS attacks. When users with contributor privileges or higher insert malicious payloads through shortcode parameters, these inputs are stored within the WordPress database and subsequently executed whenever the affected page or post is viewed by other users. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious scripts can affect multiple users over time without requiring repeated exploitation attempts, making it particularly dangerous for content management systems where multiple contributors may have access to shortcode functionality. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which defines Cross-Site Scripting as a weakness that occurs when an application includes untrusted data in a new web page without proper validation or escaping, allowing attackers to execute scripts in the victim's browser.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-0065 extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive user data, session hijacking capabilities, and the ability to perform actions on behalf of authenticated users. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal cookies, access user accounts, modify content, or redirect users to malicious websites. The implications are particularly severe for WordPress sites that rely heavily on contributor-level access for content management, as these users typically have significant privileges within the system. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the plugin is updated or the affected shortcode attributes are manually removed from existing content, making it a high-priority issue for system administrators to address immediately.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-0065 should include immediate patching of the i2 Pros & Cons plugin to version 1.3.2 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. System administrators should also implement additional protective measures such as restricting contributor-level access to shortcode functionality where possible, implementing content security policies, and monitoring for suspicious shortcode usage patterns. The WordPress security community should also consider implementing automated scanning tools to identify and alert on potentially malicious shortcode attributes within existing content. Organizations should conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations to identify any other plugins or themes that may exhibit similar vulnerabilities, particularly those that handle user input through shortcode mechanisms. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566 - Phishing and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, highlighting the multi-stage nature of attacks that could exploit this flaw to establish persistent access and execute malicious payloads across multiple user sessions.