CVE-2023-37993 in wpShopGermany IT-Recht Kanzlei Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 07/27/2023
Auth. Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in maennchen1.De wpShopGermany IT-RECHT KANZLEI plugin
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2023
The CVE-2023-37993 vulnerability represents a stored cross-site scripting flaw within the maennchen1.De wpShopGermany IT-RECHT KANZLEI WordPress plugin, which poses significant security risks to affected websites. This vulnerability falls under the category of authenticated stored XSS attacks, where malicious actors with valid user credentials can inject persistent malicious scripts into the plugin's data storage mechanisms. The flaw allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of other users' browsers when they view affected content, creating a persistent threat that can compromise user sessions and data integrity.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's handling of user-supplied data. When authenticated users interact with the plugin's administrative interfaces or content management features, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape user inputs before storing them in the database. This stored data is then subsequently rendered in web pages without appropriate context-specific escaping, creating the XSS vector. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires authentication, meaning attackers must first obtain valid user credentials, but once achieved, the impact can be severe as the malicious scripts persist and execute automatically for all users who access the affected pages.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable sophisticated attack chains leading to session hijacking, credential theft, and potential full system compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal administrator cookies, modify website content, redirect users to malicious sites, or even install backdoors for persistent access. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious payloads remain active long after the initial injection, making detection and remediation more challenging. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through malicious content and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through plugin updates from the vendor, as this represents a critical security risk that can lead to complete compromise of WordPress installations. Security teams should implement network monitoring to detect suspicious user behavior patterns and content modifications, while also conducting thorough audits of all installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process must include not only updating the vulnerable plugin but also reviewing and hardening input validation mechanisms throughout the application. Additionally, implementing proper security headers, content security policies, and regular security scanning protocols can provide defense-in-depth measures to mitigate the impact of similar future vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and user access reviews should be conducted to minimize the attack surface and ensure that only authorized personnel have access to administrative functions that could be exploited through this type of vulnerability.