CVE-2024-0187 in Community Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 01/16/2024
The Community by PeepSo WordPress plugin before 6.3.1.2 does not sanitise and escape various parameters and generated URLs before outputting them back attributes, leading to a Reflected Cross-Site Scripting which could be used against high privilege users such as admin
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-0187 affects the Community by PeepSo WordPress plugin version 6.3.1.1 and earlier, representing a critical security flaw that enables reflected cross-site scripting attacks. This issue stems from inadequate input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within the plugin's codebase, creating an exploitable vector that could compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of parameters and URL generation processes, where user-supplied data is not properly validated or escaped before being rendered in web responses.
The technical flaw manifests when the plugin processes various parameters and generates URLs without implementing proper sanitization measures, allowing maliciously crafted input to be reflected back to users in HTML context. This creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser, particularly targeting high-privilege users such as administrators who maintain elevated access levels. The vulnerability falls under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for initial access through spearphishing attachments or links. The reflected nature of this XSS means that the malicious payload is executed in the victim's browser when they click on a specially crafted URL, making it particularly dangerous in targeted attack scenarios.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it provides attackers with a potential pathway to compromise administrator accounts and gain full control over affected WordPress installations. High-privilege users who interact with the plugin's functionality are at risk, as the reflected XSS could be used to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or inject persistent malicious scripts. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to perform actions such as modifying user permissions, accessing sensitive data, or even installing malware on the compromised systems. The vulnerability's potential for privilege escalation makes it particularly concerning in environments where administrators regularly interact with the plugin's features, as it could enable complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-0187 include immediate upgrading to Community by PeepSo plugin version 6.3.1.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the sanitization and escaping issues. Administrators should also implement additional security measures such as Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, regular monitoring of plugin updates, and comprehensive security auditing of WordPress installations. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can provide additional defense-in-depth, while user education regarding suspicious links and phishing attempts remains crucial. Organizations should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify other potentially affected plugins or components within their WordPress environments, ensuring that all security patches are applied promptly to maintain robust protection against similar vulnerabilities.