CVE-2023-30745 in IP Metaboxes Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/12/2023
Auth. (admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Phan Chuong IP Metaboxes plugin <= 2.1.1 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2023
The CVE-2023-30745 vulnerability represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw within the Phan Chuong IP Metaboxes WordPress plugin, affecting versions up to and including 2.1.1. This vulnerability specifically targets administrative users with privileges of level admin or higher, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to execute malicious scripts within the context of authenticated admin sessions. The issue arises from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's metabox handling functionality, which processes user-supplied data without proper security measures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input before storing and subsequently rendering it within the administrative interface. When administrators interact with the metaboxes, the plugin accepts data from various input fields and stores it in the WordPress database without sufficient sanitization. This stored data is then later retrieved and displayed in the admin dashboard without proper HTML escaping or context-appropriate encoding. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-79 which defines cross-site scripting as the improper handling of input data that is subsequently rendered in web pages without adequate sanitization. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious payloads within the plugin's input fields, which then execute when administrators view the affected pages, creating a persistent XSS attack vector.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over affected WordPress installations. Once an attacker successfully injects malicious scripts through this XSS vector, they can perform actions such as modifying content, creating new administrator accounts, installing malware, or extracting sensitive data from the WordPress installation. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the malicious scripts persist even after the initial injection, making the attack particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple administrators over time. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script injection, as the stored XSS allows for persistent script execution within the victim environment, and T1548.001 for abuse of privileges, since it enables attackers to escalate their privileges through administrative access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-30745 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the XSS vulnerability, as the vendor has likely released patches to fix the input sanitization issues. Organizations should implement additional defensive measures including restricting administrative privileges to only essential personnel, implementing content security policies to prevent script execution, and monitoring for suspicious activity in the WordPress admin interface. Network-level defenses such as web application firewalls can provide additional protection by filtering malicious payloads before they reach the vulnerable application. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of all installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities, as this issue may indicate broader security weaknesses in the WordPress ecosystem. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices and the critical need for proper input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly those handling administrative interfaces where the potential for privilege escalation exists.