CVE-2023-7154 in Hubbub Lite Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/16/2024
The Hubbub Lite (formerly Grow Social) WordPress plugin before 1.32.0 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 • 04/20/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-7154 affects the Hubbub Lite WordPress plugin, formerly known as Grow Social, version prior to 1.32.0. This issue represents a critical security flaw that undermines the plugin's ability to properly handle user input within its administrative settings. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's sanitization and escaping mechanisms, which are fundamental security controls designed to prevent malicious code execution in web applications. When these controls fail, they create openings for attackers to inject malicious scripts that can persist and execute within the plugin's administrative interface.
The technical flaw manifests in the plugin's failure to adequately sanitize and escape certain user settings, particularly those that are processed through the WordPress administration panel. This oversight allows attackers with administrative privileges to store malicious JavaScript code within the plugin's configuration parameters. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates even when WordPress's unfiltered_html capability is restricted, which is a standard security practice in multisite environments where administrators want to prevent users from injecting raw HTML or JavaScript code. This restriction typically prevents non-administrative users from executing cross-site scripting attacks, but the vulnerability in Hubbub Lite bypasses these protections through the plugin's own settings interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple XSS attacks, as it provides attackers with persistent access to the administrative interface. Once an attacker successfully injects malicious code through the plugin's settings, the script will execute every time the affected settings page is loaded, potentially allowing for session hijacking, data exfiltration, or further privilege escalation within the WordPress environment. The vulnerability affects multisite installations where the unfiltered_html capability is disabled, which is a common security configuration in shared hosting environments or managed WordPress installations where administrators want to maintain tight control over content injection. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple sites are managed under a single WordPress installation.
The security implications of CVE-2023-7154 align with CWE-79, which describes Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1548.001 for privilege escalation through administrative access. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and output escaping practices that are fundamental to preventing XSS attacks in web applications. Organizations using the Hubbub Lite plugin should immediately update to version 1.32.0 or later, as this release includes proper sanitization and escaping mechanisms for the affected settings. Additionally, administrators should review existing plugin configurations for any potentially malicious code injection and implement additional monitoring of administrative user activities to detect suspicious behavior patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing and validation of plugin components, particularly those that handle user input in administrative contexts, as these areas represent high-value targets for attackers seeking persistent access to WordPress installations.