CVE-2023-0362 in Themify Portfolio Post Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/13/2023
Themify Portfolio Post WordPress plugin before 1.2.2 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 • 03/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0362 affects the Themify Portfolio Post WordPress plugin version 1.2.1 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables stored cross-site scripting attacks through improper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. This vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's shortcode attribute handling functionality, where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts that persist in the database and execute whenever the affected content is rendered. The flaw exists in the plugin's sanitization process, which fails to properly validate and escape certain shortcode parameters before they are stored and subsequently outputted within WordPress pages or posts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to implement proper input validation and output escaping for user-supplied shortcode attributes. When administrators or users with contributor privileges and above utilize the plugin's shortcode functionality, the system does not adequately sanitize the input parameters before storing them in the WordPress database. This creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious scripts can be stored and executed in the context of other users' browsers when they view pages containing the affected shortcode. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects roles with contributor level access or higher, which typically have the ability to create and modify content, making the attack surface more accessible within typical WordPress environments.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to WordPress installations using the affected plugin, as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the browsers of other users who view content containing the malicious shortcode. The stored nature of this XSS attack means that the malicious payload persists even after the initial injection, making it particularly dangerous for websites with high user interaction or content management activity. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, redirect victims to malicious sites, or even establish persistent backdoors within the affected WordPress environment. The impact extends beyond simple script execution, potentially enabling complete compromise of user sessions and unauthorized access to sensitive data within the WordPress administrative interface.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in web applications, and represents a classic case of insufficient input validation combined with inadequate output escaping. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing via Social Engineering) and T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as attackers could use the XSS to deliver malicious payloads or establish command execution capabilities. The remediation strategy requires immediate patching of the Themify Portfolio Post plugin to version 1.2.2 or later, which implements proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as monitoring for unusual shortcode usage patterns, implementing content security policies to mitigate the impact of potential XSS attacks, and conducting regular security assessments of third-party WordPress plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of their web infrastructure.
The broader implications of this vulnerability highlight the critical importance of proper input validation and output escaping in web application development, particularly for content management systems where user-generated content processing is common. WordPress plugin developers must implement comprehensive sanitization routines that validate all user inputs against expected formats and escape all outputs to prevent XSS vulnerabilities. This incident underscores the necessity of regular security audits and the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions to protect against known vulnerabilities that could compromise entire web applications and their associated user data.