CVE-2023-0072 in WC Vendors Marketplace Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/06/2023
The WC Vendors Marketplace WordPress plugin before 2.4.5 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 • 03/05/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0072 affects the WC Vendors Marketplace WordPress plugin, specifically versions prior to 2.4.5, presenting a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that could be exploited by users with contributor roles and above. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's shortcode implementation, creating a persistent security flaw that allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into web pages where the affected shortcodes are rendered.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize and escape shortcode attributes before incorporating them into HTML output within WordPress pages and posts. When users with contributor privileges or higher create or modify content containing these shortcodes, the plugin processes the attributes without sufficient validation, allowing potentially malicious input to be stored within the WordPress database. This stored malicious content then gets executed whenever the affected page or post is viewed by other users, making it a classic stored XSS vulnerability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires minimal privileges to exploit, as contributors typically have the ability to create and edit posts, making the attack surface broader than many other XSS vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, and data exfiltration. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that once exploited, the malicious scripts persist and affect all users who view the compromised content, potentially leading to widespread compromise of user sessions and sensitive data exposure. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to user accounts, manipulate displayed content, or redirect visitors to phishing sites that could harvest login credentials or personal information.
Security professionals should prioritize patching this vulnerability by upgrading to WC Vendors Marketplace plugin version 2.4.5 or later, which implements proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Additionally, administrators should review and restrict contributor privileges where possible, implement content security policies, and monitor for any suspicious activity in user-generated content. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential harvesting through social engineering and web application attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and regular security scanning to detect and prevent exploitation attempts while maintaining proper access controls and privilege management policies to minimize potential impact from such vulnerabilities.