CVE-2023-25024 in Icegram Collect Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/07/2023
Auth. (admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Icegram Icegram Collect plugin <= 1.3.8 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2023-25024 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within the Icegram Icegram Collect plugin for WordPress systems. This issue affects versions up to and including 1.3.8, where authenticated users with administrator privileges or higher can exploit the vulnerability to inject malicious scripts into the application's database. The flaw specifically resides in how the plugin processes and stores user input, creating a persistent XSS vector that can affect all users who interact with the compromised system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the plugin's administrative interface. When administrators or privileged users create or modify content through the plugin's management panels, the system fails to properly validate and escape user-supplied data before storing it in the database. This allows attackers with administrative access to inject malicious JavaScript code that persists across user sessions and can be executed whenever other users view the affected content. The vulnerability is classified as a stored XSS attack because the malicious payload is permanently stored on the server and executed each time the compromised data is rendered to users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with significant privileges within the compromised WordPress environment. An attacker with administrator-level access can leverage this vulnerability to perform actions such as modifying or deleting content, accessing sensitive user data, installing malicious plugins, or even escalating their privileges further within the system. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that the malicious code will continue to execute for all users who interact with the compromised content until the vulnerability is patched and the malicious scripts are removed from the database. This creates a prolonged attack surface that can be exploited repeatedly without requiring additional authentication.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1566.001 - Phishing with Social Engineering and T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to establish persistent command execution capabilities through malicious script injection. The vulnerability also relates to T1071.001 - Application Layer Protocol: Web Protocols, since it exploits web application vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to system resources. Organizations should implement immediate patching procedures to address this vulnerability, as well as strengthen their input validation mechanisms and conduct regular security audits of third-party plugins to prevent similar issues from occurring in other components of their WordPress infrastructure.
The remediation approach for CVE-2023-25024 requires administrators to upgrade to the latest version of the Icegram Collect plugin where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization measures, including proper escaping of user-generated content before database storage, and regular security monitoring to detect any potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access control measures should also be reviewed to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, as the requirement for administrator privileges reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate the risk entirely.