CVE-2023-3248 in All-in-one Floating Contact Form Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/24/2023
The All-in-one Floating Contact Form WordPress plugin before 2.1.2 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-2023-3248 affects the All-in-one Floating Contact Form WordPress plugin version 2.1.1 and earlier, representing a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that undermines web application security. This vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of user settings and configuration data, where insufficient sanitization and escaping mechanisms leave the system exposed to malicious code injection. The flaw is particularly concerning because it affects high-privilege users including administrators, who can leverage this weakness to execute persistent XSS attacks within the WordPress environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user input within its settings management system. According to CWE-79, which categorizes cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, the plugin does not adequately filter or escape data before storing it in the WordPress database. This oversight allows malicious scripts to be stored in the plugin's configuration settings and subsequently executed whenever the affected page is loaded. The vulnerability exists even when WordPress multisite installations restrict the unfiltered_html capability, which typically prevents untrusted users from injecting raw HTML content, demonstrating that the flaw operates at a deeper level within the plugin's data handling architecture.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-3248 extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with persistent access to compromised WordPress installations. When administrators interact with the plugin's settings interface or when the contact form is displayed on the front end, malicious scripts embedded in the stored settings execute within the context of other users' browsers. This creates a vector for session hijacking, credential theft, and potential lateral movement within the compromised network. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which covers social engineering through malicious content, and T1059, which addresses command and scripting interpreters, as attackers can establish persistent command execution through browser-based payloads.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the plugin update to version 2.1.2 or later, which implements proper sanitization and escaping mechanisms. System administrators should conduct thorough security audits of all installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities that might exist in other third-party components. Additionally, implementing content security policies and monitoring for suspicious user activity can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation and output escaping in web application development, as outlined in OWASP Top Ten category A03:2021, which emphasizes the need for proper data sanitization to prevent injection attacks. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all WordPress installations.