CVE-2023-25059 in Automatically secure legal texts Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/07/2023
Auth. (admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in avalex GmbH avalex – Automatically secure legal texts plugin <= 3.0.3 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2023
The CVE-2023-25059 vulnerability represents a critical authentication bypass issue within the avalex GmbH avalex plugin for WordPress systems. This stored cross-site scripting flaw affects versions 3.0.3 and earlier, specifically targeting administrative users with privileges level of administrator or higher. The vulnerability resides in the plugin's handling of user input within the legal text processing functionality, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited by malicious actors with administrative access or those capable of obtaining such privileges through other means. The issue stems from inadequate sanitization of user-supplied data that flows into the plugin's output rendering mechanisms, allowing attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the system and execute against other users.
This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that malicious scripts are permanently stored within the application's database or file system, making them particularly dangerous as they execute automatically whenever affected pages are loaded by other users. The attack vector involves an authenticated user with administrative privileges submitting malicious content through the plugin's interface, which is then stored and executed in subsequent user sessions. This creates a persistent threat that can affect multiple users without requiring repeated exploitation attempts, significantly amplifying the potential impact of the vulnerability.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-25059 extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, data exfiltration, and privilege escalation. Administrators who view affected content become victims of the stored XSS attack, potentially allowing attackers to steal their authentication cookies, redirect them to malicious sites, or inject additional malicious payloads. The vulnerability can be exploited to manipulate legal documents and text processing features, potentially corrupting data integrity or enabling attackers to create false legal documents. Additionally, the persistence of the stored script means that even after the initial attack, the malicious code continues to execute against all users who access the affected plugin functionality, creating a long-term security risk that can be difficult to detect and remediate.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action including updating the avalex plugin to version 3.0.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the XSS flaw. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent similar issues in the future, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed or displayed. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in plugin usage, particularly around administrative functions that handle text processing. The principle of least privilege should be enforced to limit the scope of potential damage from such vulnerabilities, ensuring that only necessary users have administrative access to systems containing vulnerable plugins. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other third-party components. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059.005 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, as it involves the execution of malicious scripts through legitimate administrative interfaces, and T1566.002 - Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as attackers may use the vulnerability to establish persistence and escalate privileges through compromised administrative accounts.