CVE-2023-28789 in Contact Forms Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 04/07/2023
Unauth. Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Cimatti Consulting WordPress Contact Forms by Cimatti plugin <= 1.5.4 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2023-28789 represents an unauthorized reflected cross-site scripting flaw discovered in the WordPress Contact Forms by Cimatti plugin version 1.5.4 and earlier. This issue arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization within the plugin's handling of user-supplied data. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially compromising the security of the affected WordPress installation and its visitors. The reflected nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious script is reflected off the web server, typically through a link that includes the malicious script as a parameter in the URL.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of HTTP request parameters within the plugin's codebase. When users submit contact form data or when the plugin processes certain URL parameters, the input is not adequately sanitized before being rendered back to the user's browser. This creates an environment where attacker-controlled data can be executed as script code in the context of the victim's browser session. The vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's contact form processing functionality where user inputs are not properly escaped or filtered before being included in the response output. This flaw aligns with CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities as a result of insufficient input validation and output encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for WordPress site administrators and their users. An attacker could craft malicious URLs containing XSS payloads that, when clicked by an authenticated user with appropriate privileges, could execute arbitrary JavaScript code in their browser. This could lead to session hijacking, credential theft, redirection to malicious sites, or modification of web page content. The reflected nature of the vulnerability makes it particularly dangerous as it can be delivered through phishing emails, social engineering campaigns, or by embedding malicious links in other websites. The attack requires minimal user interaction beyond clicking a specially crafted link, making it a high-risk vulnerability for WordPress installations using the affected plugin version.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should begin with immediate plugin updates to version 1.5.5 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the reflected XSS issue. System administrators should also implement additional security measures including web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script payloads, regular security audits of installed plugins, and monitoring for unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized access attempts. The implementation of Content Security Policy headers can provide an additional layer of protection by restricting script execution sources. Organizations should also consider implementing proper input validation and output encoding practices throughout their web applications, following OWASP recommendations for preventing XSS vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify other potential entry points or similar issues within the WordPress ecosystem. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping third-party plugins updated and maintaining comprehensive security monitoring protocols to protect against known exploits in commonly used web applications.