CVE-2023-25049 in impleCode eCommerce Product Catalog Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/07/2023
Auth. (admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in impleCode eCommerce Product Catalog Plugin for WordPress plugin <= 3.3.4 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2023
The CVE-2023-25049 vulnerability represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the impleCode eCommerce Product Catalog WordPress plugin, specifically affecting versions up to and including 3.3.4. This vulnerability resides in the plugin's administrative functionality and allows authenticated attackers with administrator privileges or higher to inject malicious scripts into the plugin's user interface. The flaw occurs due to insufficient input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, particularly when processing user-supplied data that gets rendered back to administrators. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-79 as a failure to sanitize input data, which directly enables XSS attacks through persistent script injection.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess administrative access or higher privileges within the WordPress environment, as the XSS vector is only accessible through administrative interfaces. When administrators view product catalog data or related administrative pages, malicious scripts injected by the attacker execute within their browser context. This creates a persistent threat where the malicious code remains embedded in the plugin's database and executes every time the affected administrative interface is accessed. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable session hijacking, credential theft, and potential lateral movement within the compromised WordPress environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges or establish persistent backdoors through the compromised administrative sessions.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-25049 is significant for WordPress sites utilizing the affected impleCode plugin, particularly those with multiple administrators or high-privilege users. Once exploited, the vulnerability can lead to complete compromise of the administrative interface, allowing attackers to modify product catalogs, inject malicious content, or redirect users to phishing sites. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that the malicious code remains active until manually removed from the database, providing attackers with extended periods of access. This vulnerability also impacts the integrity of the plugin's data and can potentially affect the broader WordPress installation if attackers use the compromised administrative access to install additional malicious plugins or modify core WordPress files.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-25049 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as the impleCode team has released patches for this specific flaw. Organizations should implement strict access controls and privilege management to minimize the attack surface, ensuring that only essential personnel have administrative access to WordPress installations. Regular security audits and input validation checks should be enforced across all custom and third-party plugins. Additionally, implementing Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of defense against XSS attacks by restricting script execution within the browser context. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to detect unusual administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.001 for privilege escalation through administrative access compromise. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all WordPress installations.