CVE-2024-1106 in Shariff Wrapper Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 02/27/2024
The Shariff Wrapper WordPress plugin before 4.6.10 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 Shariff Wrapper WordPress plugin vulnerability CVE-2024-1106 represents a critical stored cross-site scripting flaw that affects versions prior to 4.6.10. This vulnerability specifically targets the plugin's handling of user settings where insufficient sanitization and escaping mechanisms are implemented. The flaw allows authenticated users with administrative privileges to inject malicious scripts into the plugin's configuration settings, which are then executed whenever the settings are rendered in the WordPress admin interface or displayed on frontend pages. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it exploits the trust relationship between the plugin and its administrators, leveraging their elevated privileges to bypass standard security restrictions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the plugin's failure to properly validate and sanitize user input within its settings management system. When administrators configure the Shariff Wrapper plugin, they can specify various social sharing parameters that are stored in the WordPress database. The vulnerability occurs because the plugin does not adequately escape HTML characters or validate the content of these settings before storing them. This creates an environment where malicious scripts can be persistently stored and executed whenever the affected settings are processed. The flaw operates as a stored XSS attack because the malicious code is saved server-side and executed each time the vulnerable page is accessed, rather than requiring a one-time injection.
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 potentially steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, inject malicious content, or even escalate their privileges further within the WordPress installation. In multisite configurations where the unfiltered_html capability is restricted, the vulnerability becomes even more dangerous as it provides a means for administrators to bypass these security restrictions through the plugin's settings interface. This creates a pathway for attackers to circumvent WordPress's built-in security measures designed to prevent untrusted users from injecting dangerous content.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically addressing stored cross-site scripting issues. It also maps to ATT&CK technique T1548.002 which covers abuse of cloud infrastructure for privilege escalation and persistence. Organizations running affected versions of the Shariff Wrapper plugin face significant risk of unauthorized access and potential data compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical flaw in the plugin's input validation and output escaping mechanisms, highlighting the importance of proper security practices in WordPress plugin development. The attack vector requires authentication as an administrator but the consequences can be severe, as it allows for persistent malicious code execution within the WordPress environment.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate patching of the Shariff Wrapper plugin to version 4.6.10 or later where the sanitization and escaping issues have been addressed. Administrators should also conduct thorough security audits of their WordPress installations to identify any other plugins or themes that may exhibit similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement additional monitoring for unusual administrative activities and ensure that user privileges are properly restricted according to the principle of least privilege. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify potential XSS vulnerabilities in custom code or third-party components. The incident underscores the critical importance of input validation and output escaping in web application security, particularly in content management systems where administrators have elevated privileges and can potentially bypass standard security controls.