CVE-2023-34004 in WooCommerce Box Office Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/30/2023
Auth. (contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WooCommerce WooCommerce Box Office plugin <= 1.1.50 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2023-34004 represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within the WooCommerce Box Office plugin for WordPress, affecting versions up to and including 1.1.50. This issue specifically targets users with contributor privileges or higher, making it particularly concerning for e-commerce environments where multiple user roles exist. The vulnerability resides in how the plugin processes and stores user input, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited by authenticated attackers with sufficient privileges to submit content. The attack vector involves the manipulation of input fields that are subsequently stored and rendered without proper sanitization, allowing malicious scripts to be executed in the context of other users' browsers. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, which is classified as a critical weakness in web application security. The vulnerability operates within the ATT&CK framework under the T1566.001 technique of Phishing, as it can be leveraged to deliver malicious payloads to unsuspecting users who view affected content.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the plugin's data handling mechanisms. When contributors or higher-privileged users submit data through the Box Office plugin interface, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape potentially malicious content before storing it in the database. This stored data is then retrieved and displayed in subsequent user interactions without appropriate security measures, creating an environment where script tags or other malicious code can be executed when legitimate users access the affected pages. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it requires only contributor-level permissions, which are often granted to trusted individuals within e-commerce environments who may have access to product management, order processing, or event ticketing functions. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payload persists even after the initial submission, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over time without requiring repeated exploitation attempts.
The operational consequences of CVE-2023-34004 extend beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform various malicious activities within the compromised environment. Attackers could potentially steal user session cookies, redirect victims to malicious websites, inject additional malicious scripts, or even perform actions on behalf of other users through the compromised plugin interface. The vulnerability's presence in a widely-used e-commerce plugin means that numerous WordPress sites could be at risk, particularly those managing ticketing systems, event registrations, or product sales where contributor-level access is commonly granted. The attack scenario typically involves an authenticated attacker with contributor privileges submitting malicious content through the plugin's forms, which is then stored and executed when other users view the affected pages. This creates a persistent threat that can be difficult to detect and remediate, as the malicious code remains embedded in the system's data until manually removed or the vulnerable plugin is updated.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-34004 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the stored XSS vulnerability, as the vendor has likely released patches to resolve the issue. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding measures across all user-submitted content within the plugin's functionality, ensuring that any potentially malicious input is properly sanitized before storage. Network monitoring and intrusion detection systems should be configured to identify suspicious patterns in user activity that might indicate exploitation attempts, particularly around the plugin's data submission endpoints. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing role-based access controls to limit contributor privileges to only essential functions, reducing the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Regular security audits of installed plugins and themes should be conducted to identify other vulnerable components, while automated scanning tools can help detect similar vulnerabilities across the entire WordPress installation. The remediation process must include thorough testing of the updated plugin to ensure that security patches do not introduce compatibility issues with existing functionality, and comprehensive user education regarding the risks of submitting untrusted content to systems with elevated privileges. Organizations should also maintain detailed logs of plugin usage and user activities to facilitate incident response and forensic analysis if exploitation occurs.