CVE-2024-10113 in WP AdCenter Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 11/15/2024
The WP AdCenter – Ad Manager & Adsense Ads plugin for WordPress is vulnerable to Stored Cross-Site Scripting via the plugin's wpadcenter_ad shortcode in all versions up to, and including, 2.5.7 due to insufficient input sanitization and output escaping on user supplied attributes. This makes it possible for authenticated attackers, with contributor-level access and above, to inject arbitrary web scripts in pages that will execute whenever a user accesses an injected page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-10113 affects the WP AdCenter – Ad Manager & Adsense Ads plugin for WordPress, presenting a significant security risk through stored cross-site scripting exploitation. This issue exists in all plugin versions up to and including 2.5.7, making it a widespread concern for WordPress administrators who rely on this advertising management solution. The vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's wpadcenter_ad shortcode functionality, which serves as the attack vector for malicious code injection. The flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization mechanisms and insufficient output escaping measures that fail to properly validate or escape user-supplied attributes passed through the shortcode parameters.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows authenticated attackers who possess contributor-level access or higher privileges to exploit the weakness by injecting malicious scripts into the plugin's shortcode attributes. When these attributes are processed and rendered in subsequent page views, the injected scripts execute within the context of users who access the affected pages. This stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious code persists in the database and continues to execute until manually removed, creating a persistent threat that can affect multiple users over time. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be leveraged to perform various malicious activities including session hijacking, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious websites.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it provides attackers with a means to compromise user sessions and potentially escalate privileges within the WordPress environment. Contributors and higher-level users typically have the ability to create and edit posts, which makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited during routine content management activities. The attack requires minimal privileges to execute, making it accessible to users who should normally be restricted from performing such dangerous operations. This creates a significant risk for WordPress sites where contributor accounts may be compromised or where users with elevated privileges are not adequately protected.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by updating to the latest version of the WP AdCenter plugin where this vulnerability has been addressed through proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms. The fix typically involves implementing comprehensive sanitization routines that filter all user-supplied input before processing, combined with appropriate output escaping for all dynamic content rendered in the shortcode. Security best practices recommend implementing the principle of least privilege for user accounts, ensuring that users with contributor-level access cannot perform operations that might introduce security risks. Additionally, regular security audits of WordPress plugins and themes should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities that might exist in other third-party components. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and represents a typical example of how insufficient input validation can lead to persistent security issues in web applications, often mapping to ATT&CK techniques involving code injection and privilege escalation.