CVE-2023-50880 in BuddyPress Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 12/29/2023
Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in The BuddyPress Community BuddyPress allows Stored XSS.This issue affects BuddyPress: from n/a through 11.3.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-50880 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the BuddyPress community platform that enables stored XSS attacks. This security weakness occurs during the web page generation process where input validation and sanitization mechanisms fail to properly neutralize malicious user inputs before they are rendered in web pages. The vulnerability specifically affects all versions of BuddyPress from the initial release through version 11.3.1, indicating a long-standing issue that has persisted across multiple iterations of the software. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that persist in the application's database and execute whenever affected pages are loaded by other users, creating a particularly dangerous threat vector for community-driven platforms where user-generated content is prevalent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization during the web page generation phase of the BuddyPress framework. When users submit content through various interface elements such as profile descriptions, activity updates, or discussion posts, the platform fails to properly escape or filter special characters that could be interpreted as executable script code. This improper neutralization creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious payloads can be stored in the database and subsequently executed in the contexts of other users' browsers. The vulnerability manifests as a stored XSS attack because the malicious scripts are saved server-side and executed whenever legitimate users view the affected content, making it more dangerous than reflected XSS variants that require specific user interactions. According to CWE standards, this maps to CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-site Scripting vulnerabilities, and the persistent nature places it within the stored XSS category which is typically rated as more severe due to its broader impact potential.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-50880 extends beyond simple script execution as it can enable attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities against users within the BuddyPress community. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious websites, modify page content, deface community sites, or even execute arbitrary code within users' browsers. The persistent nature of stored XSS means that once the malicious payload is injected, it continues to affect users until the content is manually removed or the vulnerability is patched, potentially allowing attackers to maintain long-term access to compromised accounts. The attack surface is particularly concerning for community platforms like BuddyPress where users frequently interact with each other's content and where administrators may have elevated privileges that could be compromised. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques related to initial access and privilege escalation through web application attacks, as successful exploitation can lead to account takeovers and further lateral movement within the compromised environment.
Organizations utilizing BuddyPress should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by the BuddyPress development team, implementing additional input validation layers, and deploying web application firewalls to detect and block suspicious script injections. Administrators should also consider implementing content security policies to prevent execution of unauthorized scripts and regularly audit user-generated content for malicious payloads. The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive input sanitization and output encoding practices in web applications, particularly for platforms that rely heavily on user-generated content. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability and establish incident response procedures for rapid remediation when malicious content is detected. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar input validation gaps that could lead to other XSS vulnerabilities within the broader application ecosystem.