CVE-2023-46076 in WooCommerce PDF Invoice Builder Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2023
Unauth. Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in RedNao WooCommerce PDF Invoice Builder, Create invoices, packing slips and more plugin
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2023
The CVE-2023-46076 vulnerability represents a critical unauthenticated reflected cross-site scripting flaw within the RedNao WooCommerce PDF Invoice Builder plugin, which is widely deployed across wordpress ecommerce environments. This vulnerability specifically affects the plugin's handling of user input parameters that are reflected back to users without proper sanitization or encoding mechanisms. The issue arises from insufficient validation and output encoding practices within the plugin's core functionality, creating an attack vector that allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary javascript code into web pages viewed by unsuspecting users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly sanitize input parameters received through http request methods, particularly those related to invoice generation and administrative functions. When users access certain plugin endpoints with maliciously crafted parameters, the application reflects these inputs directly into the html response without appropriate encoding or validation. This creates a classic reflected XSS scenario where an attacker can construct a malicious url containing javascript payload that executes in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication, making it accessible to any user with knowledge of the affected plugin's endpoints and parameter structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, and redirection to malicious sites. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal administrator credentials, manipulate order data, or inject malicious code that persists across user sessions. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that attack payloads are not stored on the server but are instead delivered through crafted urls that must be clicked by victims. This makes the vulnerability particularly effective in phishing campaigns where attackers can send malicious links via email or other communication channels. The vulnerability also impacts the integrity of the entire WooCommerce platform ecosystem, as compromised plugin functionality can affect the broader e-commerce operations and customer data protection.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the CWE-79 weakness category, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique within the credential access and persistence domains, as attackers can use reflected XSS to establish footholds within web applications and potentially escalate privileges. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patch application from the plugin vendor, implementation of web application firewalls to detect and block malicious payloads, and comprehensive input validation across all user-facing endpoints. Additionally, administrators should conduct thorough security assessments of their wordpress installations to identify other potentially vulnerable plugins and ensure proper output encoding practices are implemented throughout the application stack. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of regular security audits and vulnerability scanning processes to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by threat actors in the wild.