CVE-2023-5181 in WP Discord Invite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/06/2023
The WP Discord Invite WordPress plugin before 2.5.2 does not sanitise and escape some of its settings, which could allow high privilege users such as admin to perform Stored Cross-Site Scripting attacks even when the unfiltered_html capability is disallowed (for example in multisite setup)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-5181 affects the WP Discord Invite WordPress plugin version 2.5.1 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of WordPress multisite environments. This issue stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's settings handling functionality, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited by users with administrative privileges. The flaw specifically targets the plugin's configuration parameters, which are processed without proper validation or sanitization, allowing malicious code to be injected and stored within the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize user inputs before storing them in the WordPress database and subsequently outputting them to web pages. When administrators configure the plugin settings, particularly those related to Discord invite links or associated parameters, the input values are not subjected to appropriate sanitization routines that would prevent malicious script execution. This stored XSS vulnerability operates through the standard WordPress plugin architecture where settings are persisted in the database and later rendered in administrative interfaces or frontend displays, creating a persistent threat vector.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-5181 extends beyond simple script injection, as it can enable attackers with admin-level access to execute arbitrary JavaScript code within the context of other users' browsers. This capability allows for session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and potential privilege escalation within the WordPress environment. In multisite configurations, where the unfiltered_html capability is typically restricted to prevent XSS attacks, this vulnerability becomes particularly dangerous as it circumvents these security measures, allowing administrators to inject malicious code even when they should be restricted from doing so. The vulnerability's persistence means that once exploited, the malicious scripts will execute whenever affected pages are loaded, potentially affecting all users who access those pages.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-79, which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript. Organizations running affected WordPress installations face significant risk of unauthorized access and data compromise, particularly in environments where multiple administrators have access to plugin configuration interfaces. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only administrative privileges, making it particularly concerning in shared hosting environments or multi-user WordPress installations where access controls may be less stringent.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-5181 include immediate patching to version 2.5.2 or later, which addresses the sanitization and escaping issues in the plugin's codebase. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as restricting plugin installation and modification privileges to only trusted users, monitoring plugin configuration changes, and implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious script injection attempts. Regular security audits of installed plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities, and organizations should consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide additional protection against XSS attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and output escaping in web applications, particularly in content management systems where plugins can significantly expand attack surfaces.