CVE-2023-32576 in Locatoraid Store Locator Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/25/2023
Auth. (subscriber+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting') vulnerability in Plainware Locatoraid Store Locator plugin <= 3.9.18 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/20/2023
The CVE-2023-32576 vulnerability represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within the Plainware Locatoraid Store Locator WordPress plugin affecting versions up to and including 3.9.18. This security weakness specifically targets users with subscriber-level permissions or higher, making it particularly concerning for websites that allow user registration or have roles beyond simple visitors. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's handling of user-submitted data, particularly in store location information and related fields that administrators or authenticated users can modify through the WordPress dashboard.
The technical implementation of this flaw occurs when malicious actors with subscriber privileges or higher submit specially crafted JavaScript code through the plugin's interface. This code gets stored in the database and subsequently executed whenever other users view the affected pages or data displays. The vulnerability is classified as a stored XSS because the malicious payload persists in the application's database rather than being reflected in a single request. This characteristic makes the attack more dangerous as the malicious code executes automatically for any user who accesses the compromised content, potentially affecting multiple users without additional interaction from them.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for businesses relying on the plugin for their store locator functionality. Attackers could exploit this weakness to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, deface store locator pages, or execute additional attacks through the compromised user context. The severity increases when considering that subscribers often have access to sensitive data or can modify content that affects business operations. Organizations may face reputational damage, data breaches, and potential regulatory compliance issues if user information is compromised through such an attack vector. The vulnerability also enables potential privilege escalation scenarios where attackers might leverage the XSS to gain higher-level access within the WordPress environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should begin with immediate patching of the Plainware Locatoraid Store Locator plugin to version 3.9.19 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Administrators should also implement additional security measures including regular security audits of installed plugins, maintaining up-to-date WordPress core and plugin versions, and implementing proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional layers of defense, though they should not replace proper code-level fixes. Security monitoring should include checking for unauthorized modifications to store locator data and unusual patterns in user submissions that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious web content, making it a critical concern for organizations following security frameworks and threat modeling approaches.