CVE-2023-4925 in Easy Forms for Mailchimp Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/15/2024
The Easy Forms for Mailchimp WordPress plugin through 6.8.10 does not sanitise and escape some of its settings, which could allow high privilege users such as admin to perform Cross-Site Scripting attacks even when unfiltered_html is disallowed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-4925 affects the Easy Forms for Mailchimp WordPress plugin version 6.8.10 and earlier, presenting a critical cross-site scripting risk that undermines the security posture of affected WordPress installations. This issue stems from insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-controllable settings within the plugin's administrative interface, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the application's output.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to properly validate and escape input parameters that are subsequently rendered in the browser without adequate protection mechanisms. When high-privilege users such as administrators access the plugin's settings pages, the unsanitized data becomes embedded in HTML output, creating a persistent cross-site scripting vulnerability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited even in environments where the unfiltered_html capability has been restricted, indicating that the plugin's security controls operate below the expected security baseline for WordPress plugins.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers with administrator privileges to execute malicious code within the context of the victim's browser session. This could lead to complete compromise of the WordPress administrative interface, allowing for unauthorized modifications to plugin settings, data exfiltration, or redirection to malicious websites. The vulnerability's exploitation potential increases significantly when considering that administrators often have elevated privileges and may be less cautious about visiting untrusted pages, making the attack surface more accessible.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in web applications. The issue also relates to ATT&CK technique T1547.001, which involves the exploitation of application vulnerabilities to gain elevated privileges and maintain persistent access within compromised systems. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through plugin updates to version 6.8.11 or later, as provided by the vendor. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms, along with regular security audits of third-party plugins, should be part of comprehensive security strategies to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in the WordPress ecosystem.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper data sanitization in web applications, particularly within administrative interfaces where users possess elevated privileges. The fact that this issue persists even when unfiltered_html is disabled indicates a fundamental flaw in the plugin's security architecture, suggesting that developers must implement robust validation and escaping controls regardless of the underlying platform's security configurations. Regular security assessments and adherence to secure coding practices remain essential for maintaining the integrity of WordPress installations and preventing exploitation of such vulnerabilities.