CVE-2023-47697 in Events Calendar Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/14/2023
Unauth. Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in WP Event Manager WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce plugin <= 3.1.39 versions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/08/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical unauthenticated reflected cross-site scripting flaw within the WP Event Manager plugin for WordPress, specifically affecting versions up to and including 3.1.39. The issue arises from insufficient input validation and output sanitization in the plugin's event management functionality, which processes user-supplied data through URL parameters without proper encoding or filtering mechanisms. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, potentially enabling session hijacking, credential theft, or redirection to malicious sites. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The attack vector typically involves sending a maliciously crafted URL to victims through phishing emails, social engineering campaigns, or compromised websites, where the reflected script executes in the victim's browser context. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in the WordPress ecosystem as it affects the plugin's event calendar and registration functionality, which often handles user-generated content including event titles, descriptions, and registration forms. Attackers can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of the victim's browser, potentially compromising user sessions and accessing sensitive data. The impact extends beyond simple script execution as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks such as credential harvesting through form hijacking or redirecting users to malicious domains for phishing purposes. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) and T1531 (Establishment of Persistence), as attackers can use the XSS to establish persistent access or deliver additional payloads. The vulnerability exists because the plugin fails to properly sanitize user inputs before rendering them in HTML output contexts, particularly in event registration and calendar display components. This creates a direct pathway for attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that gets executed when other users view affected pages. The lack of authentication requirements makes this vulnerability particularly severe as it can be exploited by anyone with access to the affected website, regardless of their user privileges. The vulnerability affects the plugin's ability to properly handle special characters and script tags in user-submitted data, allowing attackers to bypass security controls that would normally prevent such malicious inputs from being processed. The security implications are significant as event managers and users may unknowingly interact with malicious content that could compromise their systems or steal sensitive information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires minimal prerequisites and can be executed through simple URL manipulation techniques. Attackers typically craft malicious URLs containing script payloads that are reflected back to users when they access the vulnerable plugin functionality. The reflected nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious code does not need to be stored on the server but rather injected through the request parameters and immediately executed in the victim's browser. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly effective for social engineering attacks where users are tricked into clicking malicious links. The vulnerability affects core plugin functionality including event creation, editing, and viewing interfaces, making it difficult for administrators to identify and mitigate the issue without proper monitoring and input validation measures. Organizations using affected versions of the WP Event Manager plugin should consider immediate remediation actions including plugin updates, input validation enhancements, and monitoring for suspicious user activity. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and output encoding in web applications, particularly in content management systems where user-generated content is prevalent. Security professionals should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while also ensuring that all WordPress plugins are regularly updated to address known vulnerabilities. The attack surface is further expanded by the plugin's integration with WooCommerce, which could potentially allow attackers to leverage the XSS for more complex attacks involving e-commerce data theft or manipulation. This vulnerability highlights the critical need for robust security practices in WordPress plugin development and the importance of thorough security testing before deployment. The presence of such vulnerabilities in widely used plugins underscores the necessity for continuous security monitoring and rapid response to emerging threats in the WordPress ecosystem. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional protection layers against reflected XSS attacks and similar vulnerabilities.