CVE-2024-0337 in Travelpayouts Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 03/20/2024
The Travelpayouts: All Travel Brands in One Place WordPress plugin through 1.1.15 is vulnerable to Open Redirect due to insufficient validation on the travelpayouts_redirect variable. This makes it possible for unauthenticated attackers to redirect users to potentially malicious sites if they can successfully trick them into performing an action.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2025
The CVE-2024-0337 vulnerability affects the Travelpayouts WordPress plugin version 1.1.15 and earlier, presenting a critical open redirect flaw that compromises user security. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the plugin's handling of the travelpayouts_redirect variable, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate user navigation. The flaw exists in the plugin's core functionality that manages travel brand redirections, making it a prime target for phishing and social engineering attacks. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to craft malicious links that appear legitimate but redirect users to attacker-controlled domains, exploiting the trust users place in the plugin's interface.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the plugin's failure to properly sanitize and validate redirect URLs before processing them. When the travelpayouts_redirect parameter is received through user input or URL parameters, the plugin does not perform adequate validation to ensure the target URL belongs to an approved domain or follows secure redirect protocols. This lack of validation creates a condition where attackers can inject arbitrary URLs into the redirect mechanism, bypassing standard security measures that would normally prevent such redirections. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the application layer without requiring authentication, making it accessible to anyone who can influence user behavior through crafted links or social engineering tactics. This flaw directly aligns with CWE-601 Open Redirect vulnerability classification, which specifically addresses the issue of web applications redirecting users to untrusted destinations without proper validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple redirection attacks, creating potential for sophisticated phishing campaigns and credential harvesting operations. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to redirect users to malicious sites that mimic legitimate travel booking platforms or service providers, potentially capturing sensitive information such as login credentials, personal details, or payment information. The vulnerability's accessibility to unauthenticated users means that threat actors can exploit it without requiring any prior access to the WordPress installation or user accounts. This makes the attack surface particularly broad and difficult to monitor, as the malicious redirects can be embedded in various forms of user interaction including email links, social media posts, or compromised websites that reference the vulnerable plugin. The impact is further amplified by the plugin's widespread use in travel-related websites, where users frequently engage in sensitive transactions and data sharing.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-0337 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to versions that address the redirect validation flaw, as this represents the most effective defense against exploitation. Organizations should implement strict input validation measures that enforce domain whitelisting for redirect URLs, ensuring that only predetermined trusted domains can receive user redirections. Network-level monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious redirect patterns and unusual traffic behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls with custom rules to block known malicious redirect patterns and monitor for unauthorized redirection attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1566.001 Phishing further emphasizes the need for user education and awareness programs to help identify potentially malicious redirects. Additionally, regular security audits of WordPress installations should include verification of plugin security status and implementation of proper input sanitization practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the web application stack.