CVE-2023-3575 in Quiz and Survey Master Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 08/07/2023
The Quiz And Survey Master WordPress plugin before 8.1.11 does not properly sanitize and escape question titles, which could allow users with the Contributor role and above to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-3575 affects the Quiz And Survey Master WordPress plugin, specifically versions prior to 8.1.11, presenting a critical stored cross-site scripting risk that could be exploited by users possessing the Contributor role or higher. This flaw stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization mechanisms within the plugin's handling of question titles, creating a persistent security weakness that allows malicious actors to inject malicious scripts into the plugin's administrative interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user-supplied data when processing question titles within its quiz and survey creation functionality. When administrators or contributors create or modify questions through the WordPress dashboard, the plugin does not adequately escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as HTML or JavaScript code. This improper handling of user input creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious scripts can be stored in the database and subsequently executed whenever the affected content is rendered in the administrative interface or displayed to users with appropriate privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it enables attackers with Contributor-level access or higher to potentially escalate their privileges and compromise the entire WordPress installation. The stored nature of this XSS vulnerability means that once a malicious script is injected, it will persistently execute every time the affected content is accessed, making it particularly dangerous for administrators who may inadvertently trigger the execution of malicious code while managing quizzes or surveys. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, and represents a classic example of how inadequate data sanitization can lead to persistent security breaches.
Attackers leveraging this vulnerability could potentially execute malicious scripts that steal administrator session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, modify quiz content, or even inject additional malicious code to establish persistent backdoors within the WordPress environment. The fact that this vulnerability affects users with the Contributor role or higher makes it particularly concerning, as it could be exploited by insiders or attackers who have gained access to accounts with these privileges, potentially leading to complete compromise of the quiz and survey functionality along with potential access to sensitive user data.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediately updating the Quiz And Survey Master plugin to version 8.1.11 or later, which includes proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms to prevent malicious script injection. Organizations should also implement additional security measures including role-based access controls, regular security audits of installed plugins, and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and output encoding practices, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.002 for command and scripting interpreter execution through web-based attacks, and emphasizes the critical need for developers to follow secure coding practices that prevent XSS vulnerabilities in web applications.