CVE-2023-3245 in Floating Chat Widget Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/17/2023
The Floating Chat Widget WordPress plugin before 3.1.2 does not sanitise and escape some of its settings, which could allow high privilege users such as admin to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed (for example in multisite setup)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-3245 affects the Floating Chat Widget WordPress plugin version 3.1.1 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables stored cross-site scripting attacks. This issue specifically targets high-privilege users such as administrators who possess the necessary permissions to modify plugin settings. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, creating a persistent XSS vector that can be exploited even in environments where the unfiltered_html capability has been restricted.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user-provided input before storing it in the database and subsequently rendering it in the web interface. When administrators configure chat widget settings through the WordPress admin dashboard, the plugin accepts potentially malicious input without adequate validation or escaping. This oversight allows attackers with administrative privileges to inject malicious scripts that persist in the database and execute whenever the affected page is loaded. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multisite WordPress installations where the unfiltered_html capability is often restricted to prevent unauthorized script execution, yet the flaw still permits exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and data exfiltration. The stored nature of the XSS vulnerability means that the malicious scripts remain persistent until manually removed from the plugin settings, potentially affecting all users who access pages containing the vulnerable chat widget. In a multisite environment, this threat becomes even more significant as compromised administrative accounts can affect multiple sites within the network. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege as it allows administrative users to bypass normal security restrictions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-3245 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 3.1.2 or later, which contains the necessary sanitization and escaping fixes. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, monitoring for unauthorized administrative changes, and maintaining up-to-date security configurations. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional layers of protection, while security monitoring tools should be configured to detect suspicious administrative activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output escaping in web applications, principles that are fundamental to the OWASP Top Ten security risks and align with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely remediation of similar vulnerabilities across their WordPress installations.