CVE-2023-1890 in Tablesome Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/15/2023
The Tablesome WordPress plugin before 1.0.9 does not escape various generated URLs, before outputting them in attributes when some notices are displayed, leading to Reflected Cross-Site Scripting
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-1890 affects the Tablesome WordPress plugin version 1.0.8 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that exposes users to reflected cross-site scripting attacks. This issue stems from insufficient output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, specifically when handling URL generation and display within administrative notices. The vulnerability manifests when the plugin generates dynamic URLs for various administrative interfaces and fails to properly sanitize these outputs before rendering them in HTML attributes, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can inject malicious scripts.
The technical flaw resides in the plugin's failure to implement proper HTML escaping routines when processing and displaying URLs that are dynamically generated for user interface elements. When administrative notices are triggered, the plugin constructs URLs that may contain user-controllable data or dynamic elements without adequate sanitization. This creates a reflected XSS vulnerability where an attacker can craft malicious URLs that, when clicked by an authenticated administrator, execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the WordPress admin interface where administrators possess elevated privileges, potentially allowing attackers to escalate their privileges or compromise entire WordPress installations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged to perform a variety of malicious activities within the compromised environment. An attacker could use this vulnerability to steal administrator session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, modify plugin configurations, or even inject backdoors into the WordPress installation. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload must be delivered through a URL that the administrator clicks, making social engineering a key component of successful exploitation. This vulnerability affects not only individual sites but also organizations that rely on multiple plugins, as compromised admin sessions could lead to broader network infiltration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-1890 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 1.0.9 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the output escaping deficiencies. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, monitoring for suspicious administrative activities, and implementing content security policies to limit the impact of potential XSS attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers exploitation of vulnerabilities through web applications. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring systems that can detect and block suspicious URL patterns that may indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.