CVE-2023-28490 in Mortgage Calculator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Unauth. Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Estatik Estatik Mortgage Calculator plugin <= 2.0.7 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2023
The CVE-2023-28490 vulnerability represents a critical unauthenticated reflected cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the Estatik Mortgage Calculator WordPress plugin version 2.0.7 and earlier. This vulnerability resides within the plugin's handling of user input parameters, specifically affecting the plugin's front-end functionality where mortgage calculation results are displayed. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially compromising the security of websites running vulnerable plugin versions. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or redirect victims to malicious websites.
The technical implementation of this reflected XSS vulnerability occurs when the plugin fails to properly sanitize and validate input parameters received from HTTP request methods, particularly GET parameters. Attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that get reflected back to users browsing the affected website. When a victim clicks on such a malicious link, the injected script executes in their browser within the context of the vulnerable website, bypassing normal security restrictions. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's mortgage calculation functionality where user inputs are processed and displayed without adequate output encoding or sanitization mechanisms. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as the improper handling of potentially malicious input data in web applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for WordPress website administrators and end users who rely on the Estatik Mortgage Calculator plugin for financial calculations and mortgage planning. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to execute malicious scripts that may steal sensitive information, hijack user sessions, or perform unauthorized actions such as modifying user preferences or accessing protected areas of the website. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the attack payload is immediately reflected in the web page response without being stored on the server, making it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through various attack vectors including email phishing campaigns, social media links, or compromised websites. This vulnerability also enables attackers to exploit the trust relationship between users and the website, making the malicious activity appear legitimate to users.
Organizations and website administrators should immediately update their Estatik Mortgage Calculator plugin to version 2.0.8 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to address this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent malicious scripts from being executed in user contexts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to further restrict script execution and reduce the potential impact of XSS attacks. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues in other plugins and themes. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software and following secure coding practices, particularly when handling user-supplied data in web applications. This case also highlights the necessity of implementing automated security monitoring tools and adhering to security frameworks such as the OWASP Top Ten to prevent common web application vulnerabilities including XSS attacks.