CVE-2023-45005 in Seriously Simple Stats Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Unauth. Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Castos Seriously Simple Stats plugin <= 1.5.1 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/25/2023
This vulnerability represents an unauthorized reflected cross-site scripting flaw that affects the Castos Seriously Simple Stats WordPress plugin version 1.5.1 and earlier. The issue stems from insufficient input validation and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code through crafted HTTP request parameters. When legitimate users interact with the vulnerable plugin functionality, their browsers execute the injected scripts, potentially compromising user sessions and enabling further attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when user-supplied data is directly reflected back in the web application's response without proper sanitization or encoding. In the context of the Castos plugin, specific parameters within the stats display functionality are susceptible to manipulation, creating an environment where attackers can craft malicious URLs containing script payloads. These payloads execute within the victim's browser context, leveraging the trust relationship between the user and the affected website.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with potential access to user sessions, data exfiltration capabilities, and opportunities for privilege escalation within the WordPress environment. Attackers can leverage reflected XSS to steal cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information from authenticated users who interact with the vulnerable plugin. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of the Castos Seriously Simple Stats plugin where the XSS vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and output encoding. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls with XSS detection capabilities, implement content security policies, and conduct thorough security assessments of all installed WordPress plugins. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a web application attack vector under the T1203 technique for exploiting web application vulnerabilities, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures.
The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation and output encoding in web applications, particularly within content management systems where third-party plugins introduce additional attack surfaces. Organizations must maintain updated software inventories and implement regular security scanning procedures to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their digital infrastructure. Proper security coding practices including parameterized queries, input sanitization, and context-aware output encoding should be enforced throughout the development lifecycle to prevent such issues from occurring in future implementations.