CVE-2024-10149 in Social Slider Feed Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 05/16/2025
The Social Slider Feed WordPress plugin before 2.2.9 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 • 06/10/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-10149 affects the Social Slider Feed WordPress plugin version 2.2.8 and earlier, representing a critical stored cross-site scripting weakness that undermines web application security. This flaw specifically targets the plugin's handling of user input within its administrative settings, where insufficient sanitization and escaping mechanisms leave the system exposed to malicious code injection. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows high-privilege users with administrative capabilities to execute XSS attacks even in environments where the unfiltered_html capability has been restricted, such as in multisite WordPress configurations where security hardening is typically more stringent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and sanitize user-supplied data before storing it in the WordPress database. When administrators configure the plugin settings through the WordPress admin interface, the input values are stored without adequate escaping or sanitization processes. This creates a persistent XSS vector where malicious scripts can be injected into the plugin's configuration and subsequently executed whenever the settings are rendered in the admin interface or displayed on frontend pages. The vulnerability operates under CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws as weaknesses that allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications viewed by other users. This particular implementation falls into the stored XSS category where the malicious code is permanently stored and executed during subsequent page loads rather than requiring immediate interaction with a malicious link.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks within the compromised WordPress environment. An attacker with administrative privileges could inject malicious scripts that steal session cookies, redirect users to phishing sites, or manipulate the plugin's functionality to gain further access to the WordPress installation. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multisite environments where administrators may have limited trust in the input validation processes, as it effectively bypasses security measures designed to prevent untrusted users from injecting harmful content. This weakness can lead to complete compromise of the affected WordPress site, potentially allowing attackers to install malware, modify content, or establish persistent backdoors within the system. The attack vector requires minimal privileges since it targets administrative users who already possess elevated access rights, making the exploitation relatively straightforward once an attacker gains access to an admin account.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-10149 focus primarily on updating to the patched version 2.2.9 or later, which implements proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms. Administrators should immediately upgrade the Social Slider Feed plugin to the latest version and conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations to identify any potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper security monitoring and logging can help detect unusual administrative activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following security best practices such as the principle of least privilege, where administrative capabilities are restricted to only those users who absolutely require them. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to provide additional protection against XSS attacks, though this serves as a defense-in-depth measure rather than a complete fix for the underlying vulnerability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.005 for command and scripting interpreter, as the stored XSS can be used to execute malicious commands through the compromised administrative interface, and T1547.001 for registry run keys for persistence mechanisms that could be established through the exploitation of such vulnerabilities.