CVE-2023-1840 in Sp*tify Play Button for Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/04/2023
The Sp*tify Play Button for WordPress plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via admin settings in versions up to, and including, 2.07 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with administrator-level permissions and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page. This only affects multi-site installations and installations where unfiltered_html has been disabled.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-1840 resides within the Spotify Play Button for WordPress plugin, a widely used tool that integrates Spotify music playback functionality into WordPress websites. This particular flaw represents a critical stored cross-site scripting vulnerability that specifically targets the plugin's administrative settings interface. The vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.07, making it a significant concern for WordPress administrators who have not yet updated their installations. The security issue manifests in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input and escape output, creating an exploitable vector that allows malicious actors to inject persistent script code into the WordPress administration environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the administrative settings of the plugin where authenticated attackers with administrator-level permissions can inject malicious JavaScript code. The flaw is classified as a stored XSS vulnerability because the injected scripts are permanently stored within the plugin's configuration settings and subsequently executed whenever any user accesses pages that contain the malicious content. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws in software applications. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it requires only administrative privileges to exploit, making it accessible to attackers who have already gained elevated access to the WordPress installation.
The operational implications of this vulnerability extend beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to potentially escalate their privileges within the compromised WordPress environment. In multi-site installations, the impact is amplified because a single compromised site can affect the entire network of interconnected WordPress installations. The vulnerability's restriction to installations where unfiltered_html has been disabled actually makes it more dangerous, as it indicates that the plugin fails to properly handle sanitized input even in restricted environments. This creates a false sense of security for administrators who believe their sites are protected by HTML filtering mechanisms. The attack vector specifically targets the administrative interface, meaning that successful exploitation could allow attackers to modify plugin settings, access sensitive data, or potentially establish persistent backdoors within the WordPress environment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-1840 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the stored XSS vulnerability. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as monitoring administrative interfaces for unauthorized modifications and implementing strict input validation policies. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for scripting languages indicates that attackers may leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code within the context of the WordPress application. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block potential XSS payloads, while maintaining regular security audits of installed plugins to identify other potential vulnerabilities. Given that the vulnerability specifically affects multi-site installations, network administrators should ensure that all connected sites within a WordPress multisite network are updated simultaneously to prevent cross-site contamination. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms in web applications, particularly in administrative interfaces where privileged access can lead to severe system compromise.